


Where The Blacktop Ends

by stephbethallen



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: 1 (one) feral jumpluff, A Red Jeep That Haunts Us All, Angst, Ash-Greninja - Freeform, Aura Ash - Freeform, Begone Bourgain™, Champion Ash™, Fluff, Gen, Hospitalization, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Gore, OK HE ONLY DIES FOR LIKE 2 MINUTES, The Great Gatsby References, UFC, a handful of OCs, attempted murder?, car crash fic, diodeshipping a little bit but it's essentially gen, give ash the recovery he deserves after dying i beg of you, some gun violence i won't lie, sorry i had to, too many wips, two moms? two moms, whumpwhumpwhump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:33:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 109,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22221094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stephbethallen/pseuds/stephbethallen
Summary: "This is the lamest way I've ever died."Ash faces a normal human death. He's the only one at peace with it.
Relationships: Burnet-hakase | Professor Burnet & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Burnet-hakase | Professor Burnet/Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui, Citron | Clemont & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Gekkouga | Greninja & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Everyone
Comments: 615
Kudos: 951





	1. flickering in and out

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to the panic room everyone
> 
> (ash Comes Back To Life™, don't worry about it)
> 
> also you might notice the tags includes an OC! his name is Kapono and he won't show up for another few chapters. in the words of Sapphira: "You like Kukui? Then you'll love this little shit, guaranteed, no refunds of time granted." (sapph i love you!) his fic will be posted sometime soon but for now just don't worry about him :)
> 
> finally i'd just like to thank the discord, y'all are some type of wonderful

Ash’s awareness of the outside world comes slowly.

There is something on his face.

What is that on his face? Is that a hand? It taps his cheek lightly and runs its fingers through his hair.

“Wake up, Ash. Ash, please. You have to. Oh, God…” A voice cries out. It’s familiar, and Ash wants to speak up and reassure it, but he can’t. 

He senses…is he upside down? Why would he be upside down?

The last thing he remembers was…was the headlights, coming right for him. How he swerved, but the car was hit, and…and he must have flipped the Jeep.

Ash begins to open his eyes, blinded momentarily by the bright red and blue lights shining in his face. He reaches out blindly and his hand touches something warm and sticky.

“Ash? Ash, are you with me? Can you hear me?” Ash turns his head slightly and identifies the voice.

“K-k…Kukui-hakase?” Ash murmurs, shifting more toward him then abruptly stopping when white-hot pain shoots through his whole body.

_ Holy hell, what… _

“Ash! Ash, I need you to just be still, please. The paramedics are almost here. They’re gonna get you out, okay? Just stay with me. Don’t close your eyes,  _ please _ .” Kukui continues caressing his face, forcing Ash to be a bit more alert.

He looks around and identifies the source of the sticky stuff his hand touched. The airbag was deflated in front of him and stained crimson all over. His face felt…warm. Wet. His nose throbbed.

He looks down, seeing something shiny. One, two…no, three pieces of metal are lodged in his belly, like spoons stuck in ice cream.

His right leg is twisted over the dashboard, and pieces of bone are poking out in several places. Rivers of blood run down his leg and cloud the faint lights of the dashboard.

The radio was still playing a poppy tune. 

“What…what happened?” Ash squeaks out, unable to tear his gaze from the blood covering the inside of the car.

Kukui takes hold of Ash’s hand. “You were in a wreck.”

“…’S my fault?” Ash murmurs quietly.

“No! No, no, no. He hit  _ you _ . You did nothing wrong, keiki. I’m so proud of you.” Kukui smiles—though Ash can tell he’s crying.

A stretch of silence passes through the atmosphere—well, near silence; the echo of sirens and the radio fills the quiet, tense space.

Ash breaks the near-silence. “This is the lamest way I’ve ever died.” He chuckles softly, then immediately regrets it when he coughs up blood.

Kukui gasps and stammers. “Please don’t say that, Ash. You’re not going to die. Not on my watch.” He reaches in the busted window and caresses Ash’s cheek when his young, wide brown eyes close slowly. “Stay with me. Stay with me.”

“No. No, I can’t, Hakase…” Ash slurs and gently nudges Kukui’s hand away from his face. “This is the last time…the last time. I can’t cheat death again."

“Ash, no! You are going to be fine. You have to be. Don’t give up!” Kukui sobs, and in doing so, drives a stake in Ash’s heart.

“Professor, please, don’t be…sad. ‘M not hurting. ’S not your fault.” Ash takes a long, shaky inhalation. “’T was gonna happen eventually. Might as well be now…” He shrugs his shoulders ever-so-slightly and attempts a toothy grin. “Take good care of my Pokemon, will you…?”

“Ash…God, Ash, please don’t do this. You’re so young, you have your whole life ahead of you—“ Kukui pauses when Ash shushes him gently.

“Hakase. I am so tired.” Ash blinks slowly. “Let me go.”

Kukui sobs again. “No! I can’t!”

“Hakase…”

“I  _ won’t _ !”

“Please…”

“Stop! God, make it  _ stop _ !”

“I have to…” 

“NO!” Kukui shrieks as if he were as wounded as Ash. “DON’T LEAVE ME!”

“I love you…” 

Ash’s vision blacks out while the symphony of sirens and screaming and pop music continues in his ear.

**…**

_ Satoshi, why have you come to us? _

**Mew, I—**

_Satoshi,_ _I thought we agreed that your time was not up yet._

**I—**

_ No excuses. Listen to me carefully. _

Ash remains silent.

_ You aren’t finished with your time on Earth. We still have many tasks for you. _

**…Why me?**

_ You will receive the answer to your question only if you reside on Earth longer. _

**But—**

_ It is not only the Legendaries that need you. A human on Earth shall be your anchor to life. Go. The Hall of Origin demands it. _

**…**

“ASH! ASH, WAKE UP!” 

Arms are around him, shaking him gently. Someone was crying and screaming.

_ Oh, shit, it’s Kukui-hakase.  _

_ Wonder what happened… _

_ Oh. Oh, shit. It’s me. _

Kukui quiets to soft groans. “No, no, no, no…Ash… _ no _ ..."

Ash tries to move, but just a twitch of his thumb sends explosive pain through his body—pain that he blocked out before. But now it’s here, full force. This is more painful than any other way he's died. And he was supposed to  _ live _ through this? What was Mew  _ thinking _ ? 

“Ash...?” Kukui takes a delicate hold of the thumb he just twitched. He murmurs incomprehensibly in Alolan, and Ash feels him stroke his hair ever-so-gently.

Ash lets one of his fingers twitch and curl around Kukui’s forearm. Another jolt of white-hot, tear-inducing pain ripples through him.

Kukui quiets.

“…Are you…are you here, Ash?”

Ash steels himself against the pain he knows will come. But he has to open his eyes for Kukui-hakase.

Mew said he had to live. So, he will.

Ash slowly raises his eyelids, squinting in the flashing lights again. His lips flutter. 

“…’M here now.”

Kukui’s grip on him tightens as he sobs, nearly silent. “I…I thought you…you were...the paramedics said you…so we pulled you out of the Jeep and now...” He trails off as Ash’s eyes wander. 

“‘M not leaving.” Ash takes a shaky exhalation, feeling each of the metal pieces in his abdomen quiver. “Can’t. Mew said I can’t.”

Kukui’s eyes narrow for a moment—Ash can tell he’s confused by that comment. But he seems to disregard it. “Okay. Okay. Just stay, Ash. Promise me.”

Ash rolls his head gently to rest in the crook of Kukui’s elbow. “Promise.”

Kukui stays quiet as he and Ash lock eyes. 

Ash notices how his upper lip quivers and how glimmering tears run down his cheeks.

Second by second, minute by minute, hour by…( _ wait, had an hour even passed? _ ), Ash’s mind gets fuzzier—his nerves are dulled by blinding pain. All he can focus on is Kukui’s trembling lips, speaking without Ash comprehending. It’s comforting.

All that mattered was the anchor that Mew talked about.

Ash was pretty sure Mew meant Kukui-hakase.

So Ash keeps his eyes locked on Kukui, even while the world gets blurry and black and painful and he somehow ends up inside an ambulance. How did he get here? What happened? Ash couldn’t remember. He’s pretty sure he died, but how? Maybe it was a legendary. Yeah, it was probably that.

Ash was about to open his mouth to ask what was going on, but a man in scrubs taps his shoulder. “You’re gonna feel a little prick and then you’ll feel sleepy, okay?”

“ _ No! No, no, I can’t!  _ Hakase  _ said I had to stay awake!” _ Ash tries to explain. But the paramedic just gives him a blank look. “ _ …What’s going on? Please, I can’t go to sleep!” _

Kukui shushes Ash softly and squeezes Ash’s hand. He hadn’t even realized Kukui was holding it. “ _ You’re speaking in Kantonian,  _ keiki _. It’s alright. They’re just going to give you something for the pain _ .”

“ _ No… _ Hakase,  _ I don’t want to go to sleep, what if I…you said— _ “

“ _ I know I did. But it’s okay now. You can go to sleep. It’ll be alright. _ ” Kukui smiles gently and runs a thumb over Ash’s knuckles.

“ _ No. Tell them I said no. I’m staying awake. _ "

Kukui gives him a pleading look, but when Ash doesn’t back down, Kukui’s eyes leave Ash’s to face the paramedics. They exchange a few hushed words, then Kukui turns back to Ash. “ _ Keiki…they’re gonna __ your leg. It’s going to be too painful to be awake for. _ ”

Ash ponders this with his fuzzy, clouded mind. What did he say?

Kukui reads his mind. “ _ I’m sorry. I don’t know the word in Kantonian, _ ” he explains. Ash realizes that Kukui must have been talking to him in Kantonian the whole time.

“ _ ’S fine, ’s fine. Um…Uh, what’you think I should do? _ ” Ash probes. He genuinely cannot think straight. Kukui-hakase will make a smart decision.

Kukui smiles, and Ash immediately knows he made a good decision to ask him. “ _ I think you should go ahead and let them give you the medicine. Okay? _ ” 

What medicine? Was there medicine? Ash couldn’t  _ remember _ … “ _ Okay, _ Hakase,  _ I’take the medicine. _ ”

Kukui gives Ash another bright, reassuring smile, then talks to the paramedics in words that Ash couldn’t understand.

He's really cold. And really sleepy. And…holy shit, he can’t think straight.

“ _ Alright, _ keiki.  _ I’ll be here when you wake up, okay? _ ”

Ash moves to reply but feels his eyes closing without his permission. 


	2. reaching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> pikachu, papa-hakase, mama-hakase, auntie kahuna, and grandpa kahuna are Distressed™

Kukui watches as they wheel Ash’s stretcher inside the ER loading bay, leaving Kukui alone with a quick mutter of  _ The waiting room's over there. _

Holy shit.

Ash died. 

And then he came back to life.

…What?

Ash was in a fucking car wreck. If only he hadn’t insisted on driving separately. If only Kukui were driving in front of him. If only  _ Kukui _ had insisted on driving him. If only…

Holy shit.

He looks down at his hands, covered in blood. Ash’s blood. Blood from his midsection, his leg, his face—honestly, what part of him  _ wasn’t _ bleeding?

This was Kukui’s fault. He isn’t sure how, but it was his fault.

“Is there anything I can help you with, sir?”

Kukui snaps around at the voice. A nurse must have come at him from behind. “Um, yeah, could you show me where the, uh, the waiting room is?”

“Through these doors and to the left.” He points to the double doors, literally right in front of him. And as soon as Kukui could react to thank him, he was already down the hall.

Kukui just keeps moving forward, almost colliding into the doors, and crashes into the first hard plastic chair he sees. He runs his fingers through his hair and rubs at his raw, stinging eyes. 

He should probably do something.

What should he do?

He just wants Burnet. Well, he really wants  _ Ash _ , but Burnet would be really nice right now—

He’ll call Burnet. That’s a good thing to do.

Kukui pulls his phone out of his pocket and clicks it on. When the screen illuminates, it highlights the bloodstains spattered on the glass. Collateral damage while Kukui called 911, he supposes.

Why…is he not more disturbed by this?

Why was he so…so  _ numb _ ?

Fuck, it doesn’t matter. Burnet. His fingers tremble as he flicks through his contacts, clicking her name and raising the phone to his ear.

“ _ Hey, Ku, how was the movie?” _

Kukui pauses. He had entirely forgotten why they were driving anyway. Ash was dying to see some action movie Sophocles told him about.

Dying?

Dammit.

“ _ …Kukui?” _

Kukui shakes it off. “I, uh. Burnet, where are you?”

_ “At the Konikoni ferry terminal…why? Something wrong?” _

Kukui can’t find the words. “Um, uh, I’m at the hospital right now.” 

_ “…Hospital? What happened? Are you okay? Is Ash okay?” _

Kukui winces and shudders. Why did she have to say his  _ name _ ?  _ “ _ I…oh, fuck,  _ Burnet _ , I can’t…” He reins in a few sobs and feels bile rise up his throat.

_ “Kukui. Listen to me. Take a deep breath.” _ Kukui complies when she pauses.  _ “Can you tell me what happened?” _

Kukui swallows thickly. “There was…we were in a car wreck.”

Silence passes over the line.

_ “…Ash was driving separately, wasn’t he?” _

“Yeah.”

_ “Is he…” _

“I dunno. I just got out of the ambulance…they took him back, and I—shit, I don’t know what’s going on right now.” Kukui runs another palm over his face. “He…the paramedics said he was dead when they first got there but then he woke up and just started  _ talking _ and he seemed like he knew who I was but he was in so much pain and there was so much…so much blood  _ everywhere _ and I just really, really need him to be okay and I…jeez. I’m sorry.” He mentally scolds himself with his word vomit.

_ “Kukui. Do not apologize. This is not your fault in any way.” _ Kukui doesn’t interject—it wouldn’t be helpful.  _ “Tell you what. I’m going to get Olivia to take me over on her boat, that’ll be quicker. But it’ll still be an hour before I get to you. I’m going to call Hala so he can be with you, alright?” _

Kukui stiffens. “Burnet, it’s fine, don’t get him—“

_ “I am getting him. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Just stay put.” _ The line gets muffled for a second, and Kukui can hear her yell, " **_WHY, GOD!?_ ** "

Yay.

_ “I love you. I love you so much. I have to go.” _

And just like that, Kukui’s alone again.

…

Hala was just finishing a great day. He dumps his keys into the dish on the kitchen counter and yawns, then reaches for a beer from the icebox. But the sudden ringing of his phone stops him.

He flips it open—yes, he  _ did _ have a flip phone, much to Hau’s dismay. “Hello?”

“ _ Hey, Kahuna Hala?” _

He smiles. “Ah, Professor Burnet, what a lovely surprise!” 

When she doesn’t reply immediately, he knows something is up. 

“Is everything alright, Professor?”

She clears her throat. “ _ Kahuna, can I ask you a favor? Are you super busy right now?” _

He leans back to rest his elbows on the kitchen counter. “Of course you can. I’m not busy at all.”

Pregnant silence passes again.

_ “Ash and Kukui were in a car accident. Ash is…not doing particularly well.” _

Hala nearly drops his phone.

_ “Kukui’s alone at the hospital and I think he could really use some company. Olivia’s driving me over, but I’m still an hour away in Konikoni.” _ She takes a deep breath. “ _ I think…It would be good if you could stay with him, at least until I get there." _

“I…of course. Yeah, of course.” Hala shakes his head and picks his keys up again, heading toward the door. “What happened?”

_ “I wish I knew. Kukui was almost incoherent over the phone, he was so…distressed. I was hoping he would maybe be able to open up to you.” _ Hala can practically hear her grimace. “ _ You know how Kukui is about Ash. He nearly implodes when Ash has so much as a papercut. But it sounds...bad. Very bad.” _

Hala starts the ignition, holding his phone between his ear and neck. "I’m on my way. Queen’s, right? On Punchbowl?”

“ _Yeah, I’m pretty sure the ER’s on that side of the street. I can meet you there in—Olivia, why the_ **_fuck_** _are you slowing down?_ ” 

Hala hears Olivia yelling in the background.

“ _ Oh shit. Coast Guard?” _

More yelling follows.

“Is everything alright there…?” Hala probes.

The women continue arguing about no-wake zones—Burnet must have forgotten she was on the phone. Hala pulls it away from his ear and lets it rest on the console while he takes a sharp right.

_ “Oh, Jesus, I forgot I was on the phone. I’m so sorry—“ _

Hala stops her with a chuckle. “It’s perfectly fine. Is everything okay with the Guard?”

_ “…Yeah, I think so. Close call there for a second. But I think if we stay at this speed we can get there in…okay, Olivia just said she can shave it down to thirty minutes if we really punch it.” _

“Alright, well, be careful. Regardless, I’ll be there in three minutes or less."

“ _ Okay _ .” Burnet sighs and pauses while Hala floors it in his rusty pickup. “ _ I just...I really hope Kukui will be receptive to you, and not just blow up—“ _

Hala cuts her off. “Professor, it’s alright. Kukui will be tense—for good reason—and he might lash out. That’s normal. I’m old, I can take it.” He lets himself chuckle grimly, though it feels awkward. 

He really didn’t want to be attacked by Kukui. It did not make him feel good.

“ _...Okay, well, thank you, Kahuna. _ ”

“Don’t even mention it. I’m glad you told me.” Hala drums his fingers on the steering wheel while he waits at the light…maybe he could run it...well, better not, considering the circumstance. “Professor, I hate to ask this, but...”

“ _ Yes? _ ” She sounds a bit worried.

“Was Pikachu…was he in the wreck with Ash?” Hala questions in a low voice.

Burnet gasps. “ _ Aw, shit! I left Pikachu at home with the rest of Ash’s pokemon because they were sleeping…fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Pikachu will break out and try to find Ash once he realizes something’s going on. Knowing him, he’s probably going batshit crazy right now worrying about him…” _ Hala could swear she sounds like she’s on the brink of tears.

Hala winces. “I would offer to go and get him, but—KUKA!” Hala curses and slams on his breaks when he sees a yellow pokemon spark and jump out in front of him—his instinct says helioptile, but it could have been anything. The tires squeal and Hala lurches forward.

_ “Are you okay!? Kahuna!?” _ Burnet asks desperately.

“…Yes, I’m alright. Pokemon in the road.” Hala continues with his foot on the brake, waiting for the helioptile to move out of the way. It was out of his sight—maybe under the front carriage. 

_ “Oh. Jesus, I thought you were in a wreck, too.” _

“Oh, no. I’m fine…” He trails off as he hears a bang on his hood.

“ **PIKA PIKA!** ” Pikachu shrieks and presses his paws into the windshield.

_ “Oh my God, was that…?" _

“…For the love of Tapu…” Hala murmurs. That was close—and especially reckless.

Kind of like his trainer.

“Found our mouse.” He puts the truck in park and hops out, approaching carefully. Pikachu was sparking erratically and had his ears back, assuming a defensive position.

“Pi…pikapi?” The mouse enquires, relaxing when Hala holds his hands up in surrender.

_ “Is he alright?” _

“I think so. He’s a bit shaken up.” Hala moves his hands in preparation to pick up Pikachu.

“Ka!” Pikachu lets out a small warning spark towards Hala’s hands. Okay, no touching.

“That’s alright. Go on ahead and jump in, Pikachu,” Hala advises, swinging the door open for Pikachu to enter.

He sparks and sniffs. “…Pi.” With a swift jump, he lands in the passenger seat and nods to the steering wheel. “Pika-pika."

“Good, then. Off we go, Pikachu.” Hala puts the truck back into drive and starts into downtown. “I'm on the phone with Professor Burnet. We were trying to figure out a way to pick you up, so I’m glad you found me.”

Pikachu gets his face close to the phone, now resting on the dashboard. “Pi-ka?”

“ _ Hi, Pikachu! Are you alright?” _

“Cha!” Pikachu visibly relaxes at Burnet’s voice, tainted with forced positivity. 

_ “That’s good.”  _

The line goes silent. No one wants to tell Pikachu.

Hala pulls into the parking garage, taking his ticket from the meter. Pikachu watches and waits silently as the truck finds a parking spot.

“We’ve arrived, Professor.” Hala sighs and picks the phone back up again.

_ “Great—well, not great, actually, but…oh, Jesus.” _ Hala’s heart pangs along with the sadness in Burnet’s voice—she’s sobbing. 

Pikachu trills quietly.

Hala has to tell him.

“Professor Burnet, I will let you know as soon as I find out more about what’s going on, okay?” Hala rips the keys out of the ignition.

_ “Okay. Will you tell…” _ Burnet isn’t even able to say his name. A pokemon losing its trainer is unimaginably devastating to them, especially if their trainer is someone like Ash.

Hala steels himself. “Of course. Take care coming to port.” Hala flips the phone back to a closed position.

“Pikapi...?” Pikachu paws at Hala’s arm gently.

Hala takes a deep breath and faces Pikachu, now perched on the console. “I know you are wondering about Ash.”

Pikachu’s eyes go wide as saucers and he nods.

“Y’see…Ash and K-Kukui were involved in a car accident.” Hala’s voice wavers as he tries to hold it together. “Ash took the brunt of it.”

“…Pikapi...?” Pikachu’s eyes fill with tears.

“They are both alive, but from what I have heard, Ash is in surgery.” Hala pauses and lets it sink in for Pikachu.

He seems to relax—though only slightly—at the notion of Ash alive. With small, melancholy trills, he sinks his ears down and lets tears roll down his cheeks.

Hala lets his fists—which he didn’t know were clenched—unclench. “Professor Burnet asked me to come and wait with Kukui until Ash gets out of surgery. Would you like to come with me?”

“Pika! Pi-kapika!” Pikachu snaps his head up and nods emphatically.

Hala nods and tries a smile. “Alright. Then let’s go.” He slides out of the front seat and leaves the door open for Pikachu to come.

“…Pi?” Pikachu questions, glancing at Hala’s shoulder.

“…You want to ride here?” Hala points to where Pikachu was glancing.

“…Pi.” Pikachu nods, looking slightly embarrassed. 

He wanted comfort.

They all wanted comfort.

“Sure thing. C’mon up.” Hala extends his arm and lets Pikachu run up it and to his broad, thick shoulder. 

He could use the comfort. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god character studies are so much fun
> 
> hope y'all are having a great wednesday


	3. piecing it together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> when one question is answered, a hundred more questions prevail.
> 
> an ode to everyone's favorite crazy old cat policeman, nanu.
> 
> ALSO THANK YOU SO MUCH, SAPPHIRIA! she is constantly supplying me with wonderful ideas. here's[ her page](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphiria/pseuds/Sapphiria)!

Kukui does not feel good.

Well, he didn’t feel good in the first place, but right now he feels  _ especially _ not good.

That’s because he’s hunched over the toilet, puking his guts out. 

He couldn’t take it anymore. All the fear and the guilt and the stress and the pure pain of knowing that Ash  _ died _ and very well could be dying this very moment went straight to his stomach and  _ for the love of Tapu how is there anything left in my stomach! _

He needs to get Pikachu. He needs to get his car back. He needs to figure out what the  _ hell _ caused the wreck in the first place. He needs to meet with the police. He needs to call Delia.

He needs to call Delia. 

He needs to feel Burnet’s arms around him. He needs to hear Molayne’s bright laughter. He needs Guzma to grin, clap him on the back, and tell him,  _ Pretty boy! I hate to break it to ya, but it be like that sometimes! _

He needs to see Ash smile one more time. Just one more time.

He needs…He needs… _ something. Anything _ to hold onto right now. Something other than the hazy, rose-colored memories of his family slipping through his fingers like sand, and the sound of Ash’s screams of agony echoing in his skull.

He needs—

The bathroom door opens.

“Kukui? Is that you?”

Fuck. Kukui forgot Hala was coming.

“…Are you okay?”

That question is quickly answered with another round of naus—just kidding, that’s puke.

“I shouldn’t have even asked that, sorry.”

Kukui can’t help but chuckle grimly.

“Can you let me in?”

Kukui now lets out a burst of incredulous laughter.

“C’mon, please, keikikane. Please let me in.”

Kukui weighs the pros and cons in his mind for about 0.83 seconds—the average speed of a Sucker Punch—and unlocks the door with a flick of his wrist.

“Just like before your Grand Trial, huh?” Kukui feels a wide hand on his back, tracing gentle, arcing circles. Hala has been through this routine before—Kukui’s stomach tends to give out in important moments.

Kukui leans his head back on the wall and faces Hala for the first time. “Yeah, ‘cept that time I won.”

Hala sighs and shakes his head. “I don’t know what to say right now. I don’t know if there’s anything for me  _ to _ say. But I want to be able to help you.”

“Chuchupi?” Pikachu— _ wait, Pikachu!? _ —scampers in and promptly sits down on Kukui’s lap. He paws at Ash’s Z-Ring, sitting right next to Kukui’s own on his wrist; arguably the most valuable of Ash’s personal belongings recovered from the crash. Pikachu sniffs it and lets out a small, high pitched wail—it’s caked in blood. “Pikapi…"

“Pikachu…I’m so sorry, I—“ Kukui’s throat closes and he chokes up. “I’m so sorry. For everything.”

Pikachu is silent. He just sets his chin to rest on Kukui’s knee.

Hala offers Kukui a hand to standing. “Why don’t you tell us what happened?”

Kukui winces and grabs Hala’s hand with a quick nod. He’s pulled to standing, jogs to the sink, and quickly splashes his face with water. “Yeah. Yeah, I can do that.”

“Pikapika.” Pikachu leaps up into Kukui’s open arms, nestling his head close to Ash’s Z-Ring.

Hala puts his hand on the outside door, but pauses and gives Kukui a once-over. “Where’s your lab coat?”

Kukui sighs, gazing at his completely bare chest and rusty-stained sweats. “I used it as a bandage, ‘cos I thought I could try and stop Ash’s midsection from bleeding out.” He clears his throat. “…Didn’t really work out. It soaked through.”

Hala’s normally-steely gaze softens and he places a hand on Kukui’s shoulder. “C’mon. I got us a private room so we can avoid the reporters. Let’s get some coffee in you and we can talk.”

…

Nanu is pissed off. 

He’s so pissed off, he’s using his lights and sirens. 

Ash didn’t deserve this.

Nanu is pissed off.

If only the Melemele police force had been able to catch that drunk bastard before he made Ash collateral.

That’s why he’s taking this case. Nanu is the only person that Nanu trusts will do this job the right way. 

He owed it to Ash, the crazy kid.

Nanu whips his Charger into the first street parking spot he finds (er, well, he  _ made _ a spot—he’s pretty sure it’s not actually legal to park there), turns off the lights and sirens, gathers up the manila folders of evidence and reports, and guns it into the ER lobby.

Several microphones are pushed in his face.

“Are you here for the Champion, Kahuna Nanu?”

“Can you give us any details?”

“Is it true that the Champion died on the scene?”

Nanu pushes forward with a scowl. “Out of my way, or all of your press licenses will be revoked.”

He flashes his badge to the nurse at the front desk without even making eye contact with him. “Officer Nanu. I’m looking for the family of Ash Ketchum."

“They’re in the third conference room. Down the hall, to the left.”

Nanu nods his head just slightly. “Thanks.” He starts down the tiled hallway at a clipped pace—he’s at work. This is just work. It’s not emotional.

Nope, not at all.

He uses two fingers to pull the handle and strides in. “Hey.”

His eyes graze over the room—Kukui and Burnet were at the front of the table, hands interlocked. Olivia sits at Burnet’s side while Hala sits at Kukui’s side.

Holy hell, they were a  _ mess _ . 

Kukui…well, he usually doesn’t wear a shirt anyway, but he doesn’t even have his lab coat on. His hair was thrown into an extremely messy bun-shaped thing. His eyes are bloodshot and his face is sallow. Miraculously, it appears Kukui got off mostly healthy from the wreck…aside from psychological damages. He's spaced out, face completely slack.

Hala looked...sad. His rugged, sun-scorched face is lined with concern, and maybe even weakness. This is strange—Nanu had never actually seen Hala let down his Kahuna guard before, not even during council meetings. Hala's hand is hovering close to Kukui’s shoulder, but not quite touching it.

Burnet…Burnet was the picture of pure despair. Fresh tears just kept rolling down her cheeks silently. She was glued to Kukui’s side, holding onto him for dear life. Pikachu was in her other arm and was cuddled close to her chest like a baby. He was chewing compulsively on a ketchup packet, leaving behind only shreds of metallic packaging.

Olivia looked defensive…and maybe slightly drunk, Nanu’s police gut recognizes. He remembers that she said she was going to take the night off with Burnet—that means she must have been drinking. Her hands keep fiddling with the rings on her fingers, and her eyes keep flitting around the room for some unknown threat. She has assumed a protective posture over Burnet and Kukui; she looks close to striking something, like a coiled ekans.

Four pairs of eyes meet his as Nanu sits down at the table with them.

“Nanu?” Hala tilts his head quizzically. “I didn’t think you’d be the officer on the case. It happened on Melemele—“

Nanu waves his hand in dismissal, cutting the other Kahuna off. “Yeah, yeah. I owed the Melemele chief, so I’m doing this for him. It’s a formality.” 

One look at Hala and Olivia tells Nanu that they didn’t believe that lie. Kukui isn’t even paying attention—his eyes are just fixed on his untouched coffee on the table. Burnet’s expression remained unchanged and she murmurs in Kukui’s ear. He doesn’t respond.

“So. This is a strictly police…thing, and I really hate to be the one directing it, but…here I am. I’ll do my best to get this straightened out for you and Ash.” Nanu makes direct eye contact with Kukui and taps his finger on the table to get his attention.

Kukui snaps his head up. “Um, yeah.” He rubs at his raw, red eyes. “Do you need my statement right now?”

Nanu shakes his head. “No, no, it can wait. I need one from both you and Ash at some point, but we can push it off for as long as you like.” Kukui relaxes at this. Nanu understands; being interrogated is stressful, even if you aren’t guilty. “I’m just here to go over what’s in this case so far.”

“Okay.” Kukui puts his elbows on the table and gives Nanu full attention. “What have you got?"

Nanu starts pulling files out of their envelopes, placing them onto the table. He can say one thing about Melemele’s police—they’re efficient. It’s only been three hours since the accident, and they already have a case filed and printed. “I have two witness statements—from the car behind the at-fault driver and from the car behind you, Kukui.” He places the statements in front of himself. “I also have EMS statements and some photo evidence. But let’s just go over the witness statements first. So, it was about 8:40 when the crash happened, correct?”

Kukui nods. “Yes.”

“And the at-fault driver in the white F-250 crossed the center line.”

Kukui swallows and nods again.

“He struck the left corner of the Jeep, which led to the rollover. The truck kept going until it flipped forward, and Kukui dodged both of them by tailspinning to the right and landing in the ditch.” Nanu pushes photos of the wreck toward them.

“Holy…” Olivia thumbs the pictures and curses, passing them down the line.

“Yes. So, the Jeep was totaled, I’m sorry to say. The Camry, on the other hand, is operational. There’s a bit of paint damage, so I have an estimate for that, but it’s sitting in the dealer garage on 15th Street right now.” Nanu passes insurance information to Burnet—the Camry is hers, technically.

Burnet glances at it, then sets it down. “I…can’t really deal with insurance stuff right now. Sorry,” she murmurs. 

“That’s perfectly fine. They can wait, too.” Nanu sighs. “I do need to get you in touch with a lawyer, though—“

“The at-fault?” Hala pipes up.

“Yes, that’s what I was about to say.” Nanu glares slightly at Hala, then backs down when he recognizes that Hala was only trying to take care of details for the overwhelmed couple. They were spaced out again. “The at-fault driver was pronounced dead at the scene. He was ejected from the vehicle.”

Kukui freezes, then nods. “…I maybe thought so.”

“The blood test came back right before I left. His BAC was 0.21.” 

No one says anything, though Hala nods his head and Burnet lets out a small sigh. Kukui’s eyes sweep to the side.

“He had insurance, although it wasn’t great. But, this means that you and Ash are most definitely going to get damages.” Nanu sighs. “I mean, none of this is really set in stone at this point. It depends on Ash’s…state as well.”

A new set of tears falls down Burnet’s cheeks. Kukui pulls her in even closer until she’s almost on his lap.

Nanu gathers up the papers into a small pile and takes a deep breath. “There is one last thing we have to consider immediately.”

Eight weary eyes meet his again.

“Ash  _ is _ the Champion. It’s a pretty…public position. I know the press is hounding you.” Nanu swallows. 

The room is silent again. Kukui looks down at his lap while his shoulders shake.

Nanu chews the inside of his cheek. “The cynic detective in me says that this may have been intentional.”

Four jaws go slack.

“Y-you mean, the driver was trying to murder Ash? The Champion?” Hala stammers.

“I think it’s a possibility. It also could have been totally random. I don’t think we have enough information now to say.” Nanu puts the files back in their envelopes and sighs. “I’m leading an investigation into the driver, and hopefully we won’t find anything. But if we do…”

Olivia finishes for him. “…This is suddenly a much larger problem than we thought."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> la dee dee da, Suffering™
> 
> have a wonderful wednesday


	4. breaking free

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> woo, ash is sorta alive!
> 
> shit just kinda Hurted, tho.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi, hi, the narration style for this chapter is WEIRD, i apologize in advance. but everyone's favorite keiki is getting better!

Waiting for Ash to get out of surgery is Hell with a capital H. 

Once Nanu leaves for the police station, the press floods the hospital lobby. Mics are shoved in Kukui, Hala, Olivia, and Burnet’s faces—all four of them are League representatives. And the tabloids suspect that Kukui is Ash’s father, like they always have.

_ “How is your son doing?” _ One voice asks him.

Kukui just shuts down—he’s had enough. He hears Hala say a few biting remarks and Kukui lets him drag him by the hand to a private room on the floor of the ICU, Ash’s new temporary home.

Kukui just sits down on the couch Hala deposits him on, holds Burnet close, and closes his eyes. He isn't sleeping—no, not sleep. He just closes his eyes. Just closes his eyes and worries and delays telling Delia because…well, what could he possibly say to her?  _ Alola, Ketchum-san! You gave me responsibility for your son and I let him die! Aren’t you glad you had Satoshi stay with me? _

Eventually, Kukui can’t take it anymore. He nudges Burnet off of him and writes out what he's going to say to Delia on the legal pad Nanu left for him to write his statement. Then he balls up the paper and throws it away. He lets out one—only one—sob, then tries again. 

He hates what he writes. No matter how he puts it, it's awful.

Delia is going to take Satoshi away from him. That’s what is going to happen.

After three more balled-up rejects, Olivia takes Kukui’s phone and dials Delia for him. He nearly punches her out.

And then it…isn’t that bad.

Delia isn’t thrilled, of course. She starts crying. Then Burnet starts crying, then Olivia starts crying, and then Kukui starts crying, and it isn’t the most comfortable situation he’s even been in. 

But Delia doesn’t accuse Kukui of being negligent.

_ "It was not your fault, Kukui-hakase. Satoshi attracts bad things. This is what you learn, as a parent of Satoshi. You will not be able to control his relationship with Death." _

She doesn’t take Ash away from him.

_ "Satoshi loves Alola. You should hear him talk! It will be good for him to remain there. He is the Champion, after all." _

"…What?"

_ "It has been good for him to be there. He has learned a lot from you, more than he has ever learned from me." _

Kukui begs to differ, but she insists. And just when things are looking better, he has to go and explain about Nanu’s investigation.

She hangs up, right after Kukui says  _ suspected murder _ .

Burnet tries to tell him that it's okay, that she'll call back, that she was just caught off guard. But she never calls back.

Instead, Professor Oak calls.

“ _ What did you do, Kukui-hakase!?” _

Kukui can’t do anything but stammer. 

“ _ Which legendary was it this time, hm!? Did you let him go off and save the world again and kill himself in the process!?” _

Kukui is dumbstruck. “It…It wasn’t a legendary. Not this time.” 

_ “…It wasn’t a legendary?” _

_ “It was just a car crash?” _

_ “And he still died? …He came back, right?” _

_ “But it was murder?” _

_ “No, of course you wouldn’t know. Of course they’re still investigating it. But this is SATOSHI we’re talking about. Normal bad things don’t happen to him, and Delia knows it. I think you know it, too.” _

So Kukui was right. "He’s a trouble magnet."

_ “Exactly. And that’s why Delia cannot handle it. She has been through seven of his deaths.” _

"Wait a damn minute.  _ Seven _ ?"

“ _ Yes, seven.”  _

_"No, I’m not joking, why would I joke about that? He’s constantly being targeted by_ **_something_** _.”_

_ “ _ _ No. No, there _ _ ’ _ _ s nothing you can do. I know that first hand. You _ _ ’ _ _ ve done more than I ever have. _ _ ” _

Kukui can’t believe what he hears.  _ The _ Professor Oak… _ The _ Pokemon Professor…is crying. 

_ “…Pardon me.” _

_ “Yes, Delia will be alright. But don’t expect her to come to Alola immediately. She may come once Ash is…out of the woods. But she won’t be able to handle the concept of Ash’s death being intentional, at least not yet.” _

"But won’t Ash want to see his mother once—er, if—shit, once he wakes up?"

_ “Well, it’s hard to say. He recovered from all of his deaths in the past without his mother. But if he asks, then Delia will come.” _

Kukui wasn’t able to say anything. He just held the phone to his ear and tried not to collapse in on himself.

_ “I’m not sure there’s anything left to say, Kukui-hakase. Please take care of Ash.” _

_ “I know you will try your best.” _

Oak hangs up.

Kukui stares at his phone for a few seconds, then stashes it in the pocket in his sweatpants as quickly as he can—like putting it away would put away this whole new problem. 

But before Kukui can dwell any longer on it, an orderly arrives, hurried and frantic. He gives a grim smile, and brings the news that Ash’s surgery had not gone particularly well. His heart stopped twice. 

He died. Again.

Kukui was so caught up in that news that he barely heard the orderly say that he was fine, that he made it out, that his heart was fine now, that it was just the shock of losing too much blood that stopped it. He hears Olivia praising the Tapu and Hala joining in. 

But Kukui and Burnet just kinda…look at each other, sharing the same thought. 

How could he be  _ fine _ if his heart fucking stopped? What did that  _ mean _ ?

But Burnet touches her forehead to Kukui’s and murmurs a Hail Mary. Kukui comes to his senses and guides her to standing, then lets the orderly lead the two of them (the closest thing Ash had to "immediate family") into Ash’s ICU room. 

He doesn’t really know what to expect, but it’s not quite this. Ash looks  _ awful _ . His small stature is only accentuated by the large hospital bed—he’s practically swimming in the sheets. He looks so small…so weak. He’s as pale as the blanket covering him, almost translucent. He has an innumerable amount of wires and tubes attached to him, and an innumerable amount of monitors around him that are beeping and clicking in time. His whole right leg is casted and propped up on a mountain of foam splints. 

His toes, peeking out from the cast, aren’t quite covered by his blanket. Kukui figures they must be cold, so he tucks the blanket over them with a tiny, gentle flick of his hand. For that matter, Ash looks cold everywhere; he gets cold really easily anyway, but this looks different. This looks like the coldness of a dead body. 

But as dead as he looked, Ash’s small chest is rising rhythmically. The oxygen mask on his face is fogging up with his breath. The heart monitor keeps on beeping. And all the blood from before must have been washed away. At least Ash is on the way to being healthy. Hopefully.

Kukui pulls out two chairs on Ash’s bedside and both he and Burnet sit. He takes Burnet’s warm, familiar hand with his left, and uses his right to grasp Ash’s limp, cold hand. Kukui lets the heat from his own fingers transfer over, rubbing Ash’s hand gently until it turns warm and pink. 

“Pikapi!  _ Pikapi _ !” 

Kukui and Burnet snap their heads around at the muffled sound of Pikachu’s voice on the other side of the room’s door. One glance shows that Olivia and Hala were struggling to hold Pikachu back from Iron Tail’ing the door while several orderlies hold a cage.

“Shit, are they gonna...?” Burnet’s eyes get wide as she speaks.

“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Kukui murmurs as he stands back up and swings the door open. He closes the door gently and then lets himself to full volume. “What the  _ hell _ is going on here?”

An official-looking nurse rushes over. “Professor, so sorry, but pokemon aren’t allowed in the ICU—“

Kukui feels his jaw set and points to the door. “Pikachu is his partner, and if Ash wakes up without him, then there will be  _ hell _ to pay.” 

“Pikapi…” Pikachu cries, pawing towards the door with earnest as tears spill over his cheeks.

The nurse sighs. “Champion or not, Mr. Satoshi cannot have any pokemon in his room until he leaves the ICU and the chance of infection reduces.”

“Are you kidding me? Ash is the fucking  _ Champion _ . Let him have his pokemon.” Kukui’s upper lip trembles as he gets angry. “Let him have his pokemon or I swear to God I’ll have Pikachu use Iron Tail on your face.” 

A beat of silence passes, and Kukui realizes what he just said. He would have laughed, but he was too pissed off.

“Kukui’s not joking.” Hala murmurs, voice as cold as ice. “Pikachu is  _ lethal _ . Restrain him and you only put yourself in danger.” 

The nurse sighs. “Doesn’t he have a Pokeball—“

“ **No.** ” All three of them say.

“Pikachu has separation anxiety and so does Ash. You’re holding back Ash’s healing if you keep Pikachu from him.” Olivia’s eyes shoot daggers into the nurse, but soften as Pikachu trills sadly in agreement.

Another beat of silence passes.

“Fine. But only The Champion’s Pikachu for now. The other pokemon will have to wait until Mr. Satoshi leaves the ICU,” The nurse gives in.

“Thanks.” Kukui forces a tight-lipped smile and cracks the door open; Pikachu rushes inside and Kukui follows. 

…

Ash doesn’t know where he is. He’s not even sure  _ who _ he is. 

People keep talking around him in words Ash doesn’t understand, and every time Ash tries to speak, his lips are too heavy to open.

Everything was a blur of color and sound and  _ pain _ and then suddenly, an absence of pain. With it came fuzzy thoughts and heavy lips and concrete eyelids that were sealed shut. 

Now, he’s ready to get out. He’s ready to open his eyes and open his lips and have a  _ thought _ without it being…fuzzy.

And all these feelings he’s having? They’re all fuzzy, too. It’s like a Thunderbolt to the head—he can’t put it into words. It’s all  _ bzzz, biririri, whoosh-bang pow _ . There isn’t enough onomatopoeia to transduce these feelings into non-fuzziness.

He bets Kukui-hakase would know the right words. He always uses cool, fancy words. There’s probably a word for how Ash is feeling.

Wait, wait.

Ash thinks the word is  _ high _ . 

Not the  _ hi _ that he says to his friends. Not the  _ hai _ that he says to his Mama when she asks if he’s ready for dinner. Not the  _ high _ like how far Rowlet can fly into the air.

No, no. High. Like, Lana and Mallow when they got ahold of some weed from a Team Skull grunt during Christmas break. High.

Cool. So this is…high.

Can he be done with  _ high _ ? He’s had enough. What would Kukui-hakase or Burnet-hakase or Mama think if he were high? That wouldn’t work out well for Ash. 

Where is Kukui-hakase? Burnet-hakase? Mama?

Mama is in Kanto. Ash knows this.

Burnet-hakase said she was going to Akala to have “girl’s night out” with Kahuna Olivia. Ash knows this.

Ash just talked to Kukui-hakase. Wasn’t that, like, ten minutes ago?

Wait! Wait, is Ash having non-fuzzy thoughts? Those weren't super fuzzy thoughts…can he open his eyes?

He forces them open to a slit, then promptly squeezes them shut again—holy shit, it’s kinda bright. Maybe he should just leave his eyes closed.

“…Ash? Ash!?”

Ash could almost swear that was Kukui-hakase’s voice. 

But no, no. It’s too fuzzy. It’s not real. It couldn’t be.

But maybe—

He tries to open his eyes again, tries to reach out his hand toward Kukui-hakase, tries to  _ feel _ . His hand touches something—something warm, heavy, calloused. It’s Kukui-hakase’s hand, he knows. It feels good to touch.

A chorus of other noises floods into his mind. Lots of beeping, lots of shouting. 

Kukui-hakase’s voice starts again. “…Ash? Ash, are you—oh,  _ hell _ , what—"

“Is he supposed to be awa—“ 

Was that Burnet-hakase? But wasn’t she supposed to be on Akala?

“No, he's not. Damn, this kid is stubborn. Push another twenty.”

Ash didn’t recognize that voice. It was female, icy and biting. With her voice came a cold rush onto his arm, then through his whole body. He feels himself shiver, then feels himself relax—so relaxed that he can no longer feel  _ anything _ . He’s surprised he can even think.

The cacophony of beeps quiets as Ash’s mind and body sinks into lukewarm nothingness. 

“Good. Yeah, good,” the unfamiliar voice says. “Champion, you can’t be awake right now, sorry. Your body’s not quite ready for it.”

“Do you think...Can he hear us?” Kukui-hakase asks. 

_ Yes _ ! Keep talking!

The other voice chimes in. “Maybe. He’s heavily drugged, but there’s a chance he can.” 

Ah! So he  _ is _ high!

Wait, will Kukui-hakase or Burnet-hakase or Mama be mad because he’s high?

“Ash, sweetheart, I don’t know if you can hear us, but you’re doing a great job, okay? We’re so proud of you. Just keep on fighting, okay?” Burnet-hakase’s warm, honey voice wraps him up in an embrace.

It’s nice. It’s nice to hear her voice, instead of just focusing on the dulled pain coursing through his whole body like ten-thousand glowing embers.

Ash waits for Kukui-hakase’s voice.

It doesn’t come.

Instead, he just hears muffled sobs.

Burnet-hakase’s honeyed voice returns. “It’s gonna be okay, Ku. It is. Look, he reached out and touched your hand! He’s gonna be ready to see us soon.” 

But he’s ready  _ now _ . Why can’t he just…why can’t he…

He gets foggier by the minute. Foggy. So dark, so…so…

…

Kukui watches as the little wrinkles on Ash’s forehead dissipate; he’s under once more. Ash is such a fighter—such a fighter that he pushed through anesthesia immediately after he got released from surgery. 

He  _ deliberately _ opened his eyes. He  _ deliberately _ reached out his hand to touch Kukui’s.

Then his blood pressure and heart rate shot up to dangerous levels and he was forced under again. Kukui’s sense of hope seems to be forced under as well.

Well, at least things are better  _ now _ , he thinks. The steady  _ beep, beep, beep _ of the heart monitor, with its peaks and valleys coming at regular intervals, gives Kukui comfort. This way, he knows that Ash’s heart won’t tucker out and die again. That Ash won’t up and leave again. That’s what his doctor said, anyway. 

Kukui...can’t remember her name, but it was Unovan, and she keeps pronouncing Satoshi wrong. But Kukui doesn’t care enough about that right now. He only cares about the fact that Ash broke his tibia in two places, had an open fracture of his femur, has a whole patch of grafted skin over his abdomen to patch up the places where pieces of car metal stabbed his abdomen, and broke his orbital bone. 

Ash was going to look like a patchwork quilt for a while, the doctor said. 

Ash would have to re-learn how to walk again, the doctor said.

Ash needs every bit of support he can get right now, the doctor said.

Kukui just hopes he can deliver, instead of just falling apart.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoop whoop, we are (physically) on the way to recovery~
> 
> happy tuesday everyone


	5. awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the children have arrived, feat. kukui in a sweatshirt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rest in peace, kobe.

At 2:17 AM, Lana is sitting on her porch steps, listening to Kendrick Lamar and watching the waves crest against the beach.

She‘s waiting for Ash to text her back. It’s been—she checks her phone—six hours.

...

At 2:17 AM, Mallow is laying in her bed, re-watching High School Musical 2 for the fifth time.

She’s waiting for Ash to text her back. It’s been—she clicks out of Netflix and into her messages—seven hours.

…

At 2:17 AM, Kiawe is asleep in his bed, Marowak cuddled to his chest.

He’s waiting for Ash to text him back, with his ringer on full volume. When he fell asleep, it had been four hours.

…

At 2:17 AM, Sophocles is in his lab, alternating sipping on a coffee and soldering some new parts to Vikavolt’s racing armor. He smells the smoke and the lead, but he’s not really focused on that.

He’s waiting for Ash to text him back. It’s been—he checks his phone—five hours.

…

At 2:17 AM, Lillie is absorbed in  _ The Great Gatsby _ —even though she’s read it five times before, this time is for Mrs. Torres’s literature class. She annotates and highlights, but her mind is elsewhere. 

She’s waiting for Ash to text her back…not like she’s anxious or needy or anything. It’s been—she checks her phone—nine hours.

...

At 2:18 AM, Kukui gets a text from Lana.

_ where is your kiddo _

_ he won’t text me bacc _

Kukui glances at the screen and shakes his head.  _ Fuck _ .

He goes to write her back, but he feels Ash’s hand twitch against his for the fifth time that hour, and everything falls away.

…

Lana’s feeling anxious. 

Kukui is usually really good at texting back quickly. The little blue message bubble has a small message under it:  _ Read 2:18 AM. _

What? Seriously?

She opens up the class group chat. 

...

Lana:  _ ash there’s no way you’re asleep _

Mallow:  _ idk he won’t respond to me either _

Soph:  _ ash wya??? _

Kiawe:  _ bruh i _ _ ’ _ _ m tryna sleep  _

Lana:  _ no fr _ _ , i think something _ _ ’ _ _ s going on _

Lillie:  _??? _

Lana:  _ i texted prof and he left me on read _

Kiawe:  _ ok that’s kinda weird he doesn’t do that _

Lana:  _ soph can you track ash’s phone _

Mallow:  _ …since when could sophocles do that _

Soph:  _ on it _

Soph:  _ his last ping was on highway 12, 9:35 pm _

Kiawe:  _ his phone prob died or he lost it or something _

Mallow:  _ ok reasonable _

Lana:  _ what about kukui _ _ ’ _ _ s phone _

Lillie: _…morally questionable_

Soph:  _ bold of you to assume i have morals, lemme look _

Lillie:  _ k _

Kiawe:  _ watch them just be at home asleep _

Mallow:  _ but like what if he’s not _

Soph:  _ fuck _

Lana:  _ what _

Lillie:  _???????? _

Kiawe:  _ wha _

Mallow:  _ soph REPLY i’m fREAKING _

Soph:  _ kukui’s phone is at the hospital in hau’oli  _

Lana:  _ you’re _ _ fucking joking _

Mallow:  _ soffy you _ _ ’ _ _ re scaring me _

Kiawe:  **_WAIT HAVE ANY OF YOU CHECKED TWITTER_ **

Lillie:  _ …no? _

Lana:  _ lemme look _

Lana:  _ ARE YALL SEEING THIS SHIT _

(Lana shared a link: _tmz.com/alola-champion-dead?????.html_ )

Mallow:  _ WHAT _

Mallow:  _ HOW _

Mallow:  _ A CAR WRECK?????? _

Lillie:  _ is this real _

Soph:  _ c’mon it’s tmz it might not be _

Soph:  _ he only just got his license  _

Lana:  _ NOT JUST THEM _

(Lana shared a link:  _ hauoliregister.com/champion-ash-ketchum-hospitalized.html _ )

Mallow:  _ holy shIT _

Lillie:  _ someone should call professor kukui and make sure this is real _

Lana:  _ on it _

_ … _

“Pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up,” Lana murmurs as she paces back and forth outside her porch. The phone just keeps ringing and ringing until the voicemail starts. But it isn’t Kukui’s voice—it’s the computer.

_ “The mailbox is full and cannot accept messages at this time—“  _

Lana hangs up, feeling pretty defeated but also knowing that her fears are basically confirmed. Kukui has never,  _ ever _ not answered Lana. Not once. And why the hell was his voicemail box full? 

She needs to go see what’s happening. Something is really,  _ really _ wrong. 

Lana opens the group chat again. 

_ he didn’t pick up. my parents are asleep, i’m going to the hospital, meet me there if you can. _

_ … _

Lillie’s anxious. Well, when is she not? But right now, she’s really anxious.

She and the rest of the Advanced Class are being held in some sort of waiting room, policemen all around them to protect them from the press. 

They had been informed by a social worker that they were not allowed to visit Champion Ketchum.

That he was in the ICU.

That the Professor would be coming to meet them soon to update them.

Lillie couldn’t help but think of her mother, when she was in the hospital for so long after the incident with Nihilego. There were so many reporters then. Everything smelled like bleach. And everyone was always nervous.

That’s pretty much what’s happening now. 

All five of them are sandwiched together on a small sofa. Mallow’s head rests on Sophocles’s shoulder, while Lana and Kiawe just exchange nervous glances at each other while scrolling on Twitter. Lana is completely silent, while every other word Kiawe says curses the gods.

Lillie, on the other hand, just stares into space, trying to will the tears away. How could the rest of the group take this so well? 

But as the door to the room opens with a click, Lillie can tell she’s not the only one who’s lost it.

Kukui shifts on his feet, giving them a weary smile. “Hi everyone.”

The class gives him a good once-over. He’s wearing gym shorts, slides, and a huge sweatshirt—his chest is not exposed, and he wears no lab coat. His hair was in a low, bun-esque shape, with pieces falling everywhere out of it. Kukui’s face is red and puffy, and Lillie could see the blood under his fingernails with one glance.

“…You look like shit, Professor,” Lana deadpans. 

Kukui looks at her, mouth agape, and then bursts into near-hysterical laughter. “Thanks, I feel like shit.”

Lana just skirts her eyes to the side. She usually is admonished for comments like that, but if Kukui a) wouldn’t admonish her, but acknowledges her criticism; b) had a shirt on; c) had no lab coat; and d) had blood under his nails, then there’s a real issue. 

“…What’s going on?” Mallow stammers and gulps. 

“I’m not sure how much you’ve heard. I’ve been told that there are a lot of stories circulating around…I am  _ so _ sorry I didn’t get to tell you first.” Kukui gestures out the door towards the press, then towards Kiawe’s phone. “But he was in a, um, car wreck. He broke his leg in three places, they had to, uh, stitch his abdomen up with skin from his back, and he fractured a few small bones in his face, and…uh, he has a concussion, too, but that’s not as big of a deal right now. It’s more just that he lost a ton of blood and, um…yeah.” 

Mallow finally bursts into tears and hides her face in Sophocles’s shoulder. He grunts and attempts to console her quietly, but he looks close to tears as well.

Kukui flinches and reaches out to her, touching her shoulder gently. “Hey, hey. It’ll be okay. He’s fighting, doing his best, like he always does. He’s, um, not in too much pain. It’ll be alright.” 

Mallow sobs and swallows.

Heavy silence sinks in the air. The kids hadn’t heard any of the specifics, and, well…whatever happened must not have been a pretty picture. Lillie couldn’t help but picture it in her mind—a car crash, Ash doing God-knows-what with his notably terrible driving skills, and…Jesus. She wonders if anyone else was in the crash, and why the press had said he died.

“Is Ash…will Ash…is he going to die?” Lillie finally murmurs. She makes direct eye contact with Kukui, but then immediately regrets it—his expression is too painful to bear.

Kukui winces, bites his lip, and looks as if he will cry. But within a split second, he puts a calm smile on his face. “No. I don’t think so.”

He sounds hesitant, not quite sure of himself. All of the kids notice. The silence grows thicker.

Kukui sniffs and beckons with his hands gently. “C’mere, guys.” 

Mallow launches herself to him first, then Sophocles. Lana tackles herself into Kukui’s left side. Kiawe fiercely grips around them.

Lillie sits by herself, unsure whether to join in the hug. But Kukui makes direct eye contact with her and his upper lip quivers. At that, she squeezes herself in to be closest to Kukui.

Lillie feels arms and warmth and  _ love _ all around her. Kukui was quivering—his whole body was shaking like a leaf. So Lillie nuzzles herself into his sweatshirt and lets her tears stain the gray jersey. 

She feels Kukui's chin rest on her head. “It’s going to be alright,” he murmurs. “It’s going to be alright. We’ll see. He’ll be fine.”

Lillie looks up at him. She watches as his jaw sets, he smiles, and he physically pushes down raw  _ feeling _ . 

His arms loosen around her and the hug ends. They retire to their spots on the couch, though they lean on each other a bit more.

Silence passes once more. It’s a lighter silence—but still silence.

Kiawe finally clenches his fists together and growls. “Why the  _ fuck _ did TMZ know before we did?” 

Kukui deflates, and the calm smile that he had plastered on his face shatters to bits. “I…I’m so sorry. I don’t…” Kukui mutters under his breath, and it sounds like a choked-out  _ fuck _ . “Everything happened so fast, I really…I really wasn’t thinking about much except, y’know…” 

His eyes glass over with tears.

Lillie’s eyes glass over with tears.

But as soon as it comes, Kukui rubs his hand over his face and the tears go away. “I—pardon me. It’s going to be fine. The worst is over—“ 

Before Kukui can finish, the social worker peeks her head through the door. “Professor, Dr. Santos would like to speak with you.” 

He shoots up to standing and it’s clear that all of his attention is now shifted to Ash. He nods to the social worker, then turns back to the kids. “I’ll try and keep you guys updated. For now, you all need sleep, okay?”

They look at each other—Kukui was sending them home. They’d only been there for thirty minutes.

Kukui’s expression softens as he scans their faces. “Come back first thing in the morning if you want, I’ll be here.” 

He closes the door behind him and nearly sprints down the hallway labeled  _ To ICU _ .

…

“…and deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom…” Burnet huffs and trails off. 

She watches and waits awkwardly next to Ash’s limp frame, one hand holding his and one hand holding her rosary. The nurse said Dr. Santos and Kukui were going to be in soon.

She should have gone down to meet with the kids, not Kukui.

She has no relation to Ash, at all. For Christ’s sake, Ash has a  _ mother _ . It isn’t Burnet. She shouldn’t be sitting vigil over him, Kukui should be—or even better, Delia should be. But she isn’t here. Neither is Kukui, for the moment. 

How did she get here? How the  _ hell _ did she end up in this situation? She’s with a kid that isn’t  _ really _ hers, no matter how much maternal feeling she has for him. No matter how much she wanted to be his real mother and hold him and comfort him and tell him she loved him and…and whatever else a mother does. She  _ felt _ for him.  _ Felt _ . 

She wonders whether Ash  _ feels _ for her, too. 

Burnet wonders what her priest would think of all this. This was serving God, right? She loves Ash. Is that Burnet being selfish? Or is that Burnet being righteous? She wonders what  _ God _ thinks of all this. Maybe not much, considering God kept letting Ash suffer. But God was there, she knew it. She just prays God will be on Ash’s side right now.

But none of that is important right now. Right now, she has a task—sit vigil. When Ash wakes, then she might have to re-visit her role as…placeholder-mom.

Yeah, placeholder-mom. That sounds good for now.

The door opens and Dr. Santos peeks her head in, speaking with her icy, biting Unovan accent. “Professor? Could you…?” She beckons with her hand to come outside.

“Sure.” She hears her knees crack as she stands and follows the older, shorter woman out through the door. Kukui is right outside, hand outstretched for Burnet to hold. 

“Hey,” Burnet murmurs in his ear.

He swallows. “Hey.” 

“Kids okay?” 

“Doing their best. I sent them home. Olivia and Hala were on their way out to take care of Ash’s pokemon anyway, so I felt like it was the right thing to do, considering.” Kukui frowns—he’s obviously conflicted about it. 

Burnet moves to reassure him. “Good call. Best to wait until Ash can have more visitors, or can be awake to see them. I don’t think the kids should be around so much…” She gestures around the ICU lobby.

“…So much death—or, near-death, I guess.” He sighs and squeezes her hand. “I’m worried about them all, but I'm really worried about Mallow and Lillie. They both looked noticeably uncomfortable being in the hospital. I mean, who is? But I think it has too many memories for them. I don’t want this to be harder than it has to be.”

“That makes perfect sense.” She rubs his knuckles. “This will all be better when Ash wakes up. It will.”

“God, I hope that’s soon,” Kukui mutters.

“Actually, it is.” Dr. Santos interrupts them. “Sorry to eavesdrop, but I wanted to speak with you all before Ash wakes up.”

“How long before he wakes up, do you think?” Kukui rushes his question out, as if afraid the words will disintegrate if left on his tongue.

“Not long. Within the next hour, probably, at most within the next three. Our Champion is lucky. Extremely lucky.” She makes a few notes on a clipboard, then sticks it back in a sleeve attached to Ash’s door. “Actually, I’d call this a miracle. A miracle that he—and you—“ she looks to Kukui, “—are alive. This could have been much,  _ much _ worse.” 

“So is he…is he really…” Burnet trails off, and feels Kukui’s hand squeeze hers tightly, almost painfully.

She shrugs. “I can’t promise anything, of course, and he’s  _ far _ from out of the woods. But based on what we’ve seen so far, it looks like he’ll make it to at least his 120th birthday.” She chuckles, and the couple joins in. “He’s in great shape, and he’s young enough that his recovery should be relatively quick.”

Burnet turns her head and Kukui does the same. Incredulous smiles grace their faces, and Burnet thumbs the rosary in her pocket.

“All this being said, Ash’s state is very, very volatile right now. His mind will recover much faster than his body. He needs to be as still as possible and he needs to get as much sleep as possible.” She pulls her lips back in a grimace. “I know it is going to be hard to do, but keep him in check. He’s going to be asking all sorts of questions when he wakes up. Just try and make him as relaxed as possible, reassure him a bit. He’s on a lot of sedating medication, but he still will probably be confused and emotional.” 

She pauses to gauge their reaction. Kukui has a natural air of determination, but it’s intensified now that he has a task. Burnet reflects it.

“Don’t worry too much over it. I just wanted to warn you.” She smiles thinly. “That’s all. Go on ahead.” 

Burnet and Kukui give their thanks, then retire into the room as quickly as they can.

“Hey, keiki,” Kukui murmurs as they get back to their spots at Ash’s bedside. “Heard you’re gonna wake up soon.” 

Ash remains silent, of course. But if Burnet looks really close, it almost looks like the little wrinkles on his forehead relax with Kukui’s voice. Pikachu raises his head at the sound, then puts his chin back down on his shoulder.

“We’re ready when you are, sweetheart.” Burnet adjusts the covers on him and rubs his cold arm ever-so-gently. 

Kukui leans over just slightly and gives a small kiss to Burnet’s cheek—just a little one. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Burnet cocks her head. She hadn’t done anything helpful, really, at least she didn’t feel like it.

Kukui grins and picks at the drawstring on his sweatshirt hood. “For dealing with me. And dealing with all this. And being you.” 

Burnet laughs and punches his arm.

“No, I’m serious.” Kukui rests his chin on Burnet’s shoulder. “If you weren’t here, I don’t know what I’d do.”

_ Keep it in, Burnet. No one wants to hear about your insecurity over your place here _ .

“When will you realize that it’s not a one-way street?” Burnet shrugs. “It’s the same for you. I’m literally holding myself together only because I know that you’re here—“

Burnet stops in her tracks when she hears a small noise from Ash’s bed—a little tiny groan.

She looks at Kukui. “…Did you…”

“Yeah. Yeah, I did.” Kukui smiles hesitantly. “…Ash?”

His eyes squeeze together. It looks just like when the medicine wore off and he tried to wake up.

“Ash? Are you here?” Burnet murmurs.  _ Please, God, let this time be for real. _

His index finger bends slightly. Kukui’s eyes grow wide as he feels his hand twitch. 

His eyes open in a small slit, then he lets out a louder groan and they squeeze back together. Burnet chokes on a sob—his voice is filled with strain and pain. Burnet watches the monitor as his heart rate and blood pressure rise.

“Wait, I think it’s the light. Hold on just a minute, Ash…” Kukui flicks off the overhead light that was shining over the head of his bed and slides the dimmer down on the room’s lights. Moonlight sifts through the blinds, casting small, glowing slits on Ash’s bedcovers.

Ash’s eyes open to slits again, and he lets out a long exhale.

Kukui and Burnet wait with bated breath.

His eyelids slide up, exposing his wide chestnut irises. His pupils dilate and his eyes drift lazily around the room.

His lips turn up into the slightest of smiles when his eyes reach Kukui and Burnet.

Burnet’s heart  _ explodes _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah yes, the keiki is awake and is ready to raise some hell
> 
> how was y'all's weekend?


	6. information

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ash, High™
> 
> kapono, Frustrated™
> 
> kukui, Desperate™
> 
> nanu, Willing To Do What It Takes™

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jesus there are a bunch of ocs in this chapter, im so sorry. here's a quick rundown:
> 
> Kapono: Hawaiian male, 25 years old. Physical therapist and the Masked Royal's own physio, he knows Kukui well and they are Bros™. He's very, very gay, and he's very, very mischevious.
> 
> Dr. Santos: Early 60s, Puerto Rican female. Ash's head physician and the director of the case. Chief of the orthopedic department. Kapono's boss. A Power Woman™.
> 
> Jacqueline Peters: American/Unovan female, 32 years old. A poor-quality physio and coworker of Kapono. Notably racist and ditzy.
> 
> Rachel Zhou: Deputy Police Chief of Ula'Ula island. Nanu's most trusted partner. Specializes in tech research and intel. Nanu's moral counterpart. Has connections with one Detective Looker.
> 
> Unnamed Police Commissioner: Head of Alolan police department. Opposed to Nanu's unethical investigations.
> 
> Philip Wilson: Drunk driver of F-250 that struck Ash. DOA.
> 
> also, it should be noted that there are a LOT of Great Gatsby references in this story. it's my favorite book, and i thought it worked well here. be ready for more.

Kukui watches as the smile gracing Ash’s lips parts for a moment, though Ash’s eyes give away his excitement. His lips smack together for a moment, as if practicing how to form a word. Then, they press together tightly. 

Ash takes a shallow breath in. Kukui feels Ash’s fingers curl around his palm. All of a sudden, he’s actively holding his hand.

Ash gives a little grin. “H-ey,” he slurs. His voice is low and gravelly, and the one word leaves him panting. But he’s still smiling. 

Kukui lets out a small, incredulous chuckle. “Hey yourself.” He wipes at his face subconsciously—ah, shit, he might be crying. 

“Hey, love,” Burnet speaks softly. Her voice is almost breaking.

“Pikapi! Pikapi!” Pikachu nuzzles his face into Ash’s shoulder with a trill. Ash smiles at him and lifts a finger to pet him.

Kukui rubs his thumb over Ash’s knuckle. “How are you feeling?” 

Ash makes a small shrug-like movement—it was clearly difficult for him. “…Weird,” he murmurs, “Demo, I’m, um…daijo-kay.” The last word—a fusion between  _ daijobu _ and  _ okay _ , Kukui figures—is punctuated with a weak cough. 

Kukui and Burnet both shoot their hands out—they want to help, but they don’t know how to.

Ash just kinda grins at them, chuckling thickly. “Daijo-kay,” he reassures, though Kukui is the only one who can…sort-of understand what he’s saying. Burnet gives Kukui a defeated look.

“It’s Galantonian,” Kukui attempts to explain to her.

She raises her eyebrow, then glances at the morphine drip into Ash’s elbow. “I see."

Ash furrows his brow in confusion. “Wha…” A bit of color comes to his cheeks as he puts the puzzle pieces together in his mind. “Sumimasen…” His eyes drift to Burnet. “S'rry, Mama-hakase…” 

Burnet’s eyes go wide and her mouth forms a wide O, which she closes when Ash gives her a quizzical look.  _ Mama _ transcends languages. Professor Mama _. _ Jeez, Kukui doesn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or kiss that damn kid for finally validating his wife. 

She reaches over and thumbs a lock of Ash’s hair off his forehead. “Aw, sweetheart, it’s perfectly fine. Don’t even worry about it, okay?” 

He grins dopily at her in response and pokes her hand with his index finger. “S’rry, jus’…can’t think straight rih’now…?” He raises his voice near the end, as if to ask why.

“That’s okay. You’re on some pretty strong pain meds,” Kukui murmurs, straightening the cannula that was crooked on Ash's face from talking. “Are you hurting anywhere?”

He closes his eyes, considering it. “Mm, no, don’ think so.”

“That’s good, sweetheart.” Burnet adjusts his covers, tucking him in a bit more when he shivers lightly.

Ash’s eyes wander around the room, focusing on his casted leg and the bandages and wires…well,  _ everywhere _ . “…Wha's goin’ on?”

Kukui and Burnet make eye contact, and Kukui nods—he’ll take this one. “You’re in the hospital. What’s the last thing you remember?”

“…Driving. We were…g'see a movie.” Ash’s brow furrows. “Then I…I don’…I got hurt? Flipp'd over? I can’t...” His frustration is palpable.

Pikachu coos and presses his nose to Ash’s cheek, then licks him gently.

“That’s perfectly fine, keiki. Don’t try to think too hard, alright? It’s normal to feel out-of-sorts. You’re doing great.” Kukui smiles and tries to encourage him. “You were in a car accident and got hurt pretty badly. But everything’s alright now.”

Ash nods and smiles dopily. “M’kay.” 

Comfortable near-silence passes for a few moments as Burnet and Kukui watch Ash grin and mumble incoherently but lovingly to Pikachu. But suddenly, Ash’s head shoots up for a second and his eyebrows furrow.

“Fuck,” He murmurs, looking close to tears.

Burnet and Kukui spring into attentiveness again. 

“What’s wrong? Something hurting?” Kukui frets over him. Ash doesn’t usually say  _ fuck  _ in Galarian—actually, this might have been the first time Kukui’s heard him say that.

He mumbles, small tears glimmering on his eyelashes, “Jus’ remembered…have test t’mr'w… _ Gureto Gyatsubi _ . Haven’t finish’d t'book.” 

Kukui chuckles and smooths Ash’s hair. “You don’t have to take the test on Gatsby, Ash, it can wait. Don’t worry about that right now.” 

Kukui can almost see the gears turning in his head as he processes everything. But then he nods gently and grins mischievously. “I’ll watch t'movie. Gonna pass t’test,” he slurs.

“I bet you will, sweetheart, but don’t worry about that now. The only thing you have to do is rest.” Burnet gives him a tiny kiss on his forehead. 

He smiles brightly, then yawns. “I’mma take a nap, ‘kay?” His eyelids are already sinking down fast. It’s a small miracle that he was able to stay awake for this long anyway.

“Good idea.” Kukui squeezes his hand and brushes a stray lock of curly black hair off his pale forehead. “Sleep well, keiki.”

“Sweet dreams.” Burnet gently tucks the covers in around him, fixing everything to be perfectly straight. 

Ash sighs and sinks down into the bed. “G’night, love you…”

Before Kukui or Burnet can recover from that comment, Ash is already sound asleep.

…

_ Ketchum, Satoshi A. _

Kapono takes another good look at the patient queue on his laptop. He knows that name. 

Well, everyone knows that name. It’s the Alolan Champion, duh—all the hospital staff are practically  _ buzzing _ with excitement for the prospect that he could be  _ their _ patient. But Kapono knows that name for a different reason. 

_ Legal Guardian: Kukui, Prof. Makoa B. _

Kapono  _ definitely _ knows who that is. He meant to go see him five hours ago, but he had charting due in thirty minutes, and he was already in slight trouble with his boss.

_ Well, speak of the devil, and she shall appear. _

“Doctor! Dr. Santos!” Kapono jumps out of his seat when he sees her walk by his office door.

She backtracks. “Mr. Kapono, please, I’m not going to go through this again. I have a PT assigned already to his case—“

Kapono cocks his head at her and furrows his brow. “Who?”

She crosses her arms and pushes her glasses onto her forehead. “Jacqueline Peters.”

“Are you  _ kidding _ ?” Kapono huffs incredulously. “She’s a  _ racist bit— _ she’s a racist. I don’t want her around Ash.” 

She frowns. “Now, I know you two have had problems, and she isn’t my favorite—” 

“Peters is a virtually a white supremacist! I can’t count the times she’s told me to ‘stay on the reservation, fag,’ which is  _ wrong on several levels _ !“ 

Santos raises her eyebrow. “That’s…alarming.” 

“I legitimately heard her call you a Mexican the break room last week. She was talking about ’throwing you over the wall.’ I had to walk in there and  _ actually explain _ that you were Puerto Rican. Then I had to explain what Puerto Rico was.” He rolls his eyes.

Santos chuckles. “Well, I hear bull like that all the time, it’s of no consequence to me as her boss. Sorry, Mr. Kapono, Miss Peters might be rude or a ditz, but she’s still an employee, and I can’t give you preferential treatment. She was next on the list to get a case. So, she got it.” 

“You’re the Chief of the ortho department. You could pull her off the list and no one would care.” Kapono narrows his eyes. “Regardless, she’s a lousy physio and doesn’t know what she’s doing.”

“That’s a little biased, Mr. Kapono.” She moves to turn down the hall. “I need to go check on the Champion, and you need to do your charts."

“Wait, please!” Kapono takes a couple of huge strides to follow her. “Look, forget Peters. Wouldn’t it  _ make sense _ for me to be on this case? Look, I’m the Masked Royal’s PT, right? I already know Kukui—we’re practically brothers—and I’ve already heard all about Ash from him—“

She steps to face him. “Mr. Kapono, we’ve discussed this. Professor Kukui is not a patient.  _ Satoshi _ is.” She turns around again, her salt-and-pepper hair flitting behind her. “Kukui needs support from you as a  _ friend _ , not in a professional manner, and Satoshi is not your patient.  _ No _ , Mr. Kapono. This is the last time we address this.”

He throws up his hands. “Fine! Then I’m going up to see him myself!” Kap springs into a sprint in front of her towards the elevator, but she stops him with an outstretched arm.

Silence passes as she considers the situation. 

She grimaces. “We’ll go together. But you are going  _ as a friend _ , got it?”

He grins and nods.

…

_ “Professor, what is going on?” _

_ “Which legendary was it this time?” _

_ “I got your number from Brock. Who the hell are you and what the hell happened?” _

_ “Can I talk with him?” _

_ “Let me talk to him.” _

_ “I need to know if he’s alright.” _

_ “I can’t believe he really got hurt.” _

_ “How much do you know—really know—about Ash Ketchum?” _

_ “Well, tell him I called.”  _

Kukui runs a hand through his hair and sighs.

He has talked to  _ so many people _ in the last two hours and heard so many names. Kukui knew that Ash traveled through six regions before Alola, of course, but all these people…Brock, Misty, and Tracey he expected. But now he knows so many more.

Gym Leader Norman’s kids from Hoenn—May and…Matt? Mac? Max? Max. May was  _ awfully _ angry on the phone.

A Coordinator from Sinnoh—Dawn Berlitz. She demanded to see Ash, immediately. 

Two Unovan kids—Iris, a Dragon-type trainer, and Cilan, a Striaton Gym Leader. They were less angry, more concerned. 

Three Kalosian kids—the Electric-type Gym Leader, Clemont, and his little sister Bonnie. Bonnie cried the whole time on the phone. Kukui felt awful for it. Then, Serena.

Serena. Kukui knew about Serena. He remembers when Ash talked to him about her.

_ “Professor, can I ask you a question?” _

_ “Go for it.” _

_ “…It’s a weird question.” A rosy blush crossed over Ash’s cheeks. _

_ Kukui chuckled—his curiosity was spiked now. “Go on.” _

_ Ash bit his lip and stared at his feet, rocking on his toes. “Whatdoyoudowhensomeonehasacrushonyou?” _

_ “…A crush?” Kukui raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Who, pray tell? Someone I might know?” _

_ Ash elbowed Kukui, face as red as a Darumaka. “You wish. She’s not from Alola. She’s from Kalos.” Ash held up three letters, postmarked from one  _ Serena Yvonne,  _ covered in pink doodled hearts. “I…don’t know how to tell her that I don’t want to be in a relationship with her, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings, ‘cos she’s a great friend, but, y’know…” _

_ Kukui nodded. “You don’t feel romantic feelings for her.”  _

_ “Yeah.” Ash sulked. “I just…I felt really bad…’cos, uh...”  _

_ Kukui shifted to rest his elbows on his knees and nodded encouragingly. He knew better than to interrupt Ash when he’s trying to express his feelings like this; he’s just trying to find the right words in the right language to express himself. _

_ “…Well, something happened right before I left for Kalos,” Ash finished, rather mysteriously. He shifted in his seat on the couch awkwardly. _

_ “Such as…?” Kukui prompted. This could have been…well, _ anything _.  _

_ “She kissed me. On the lips.”  _

_ Kukui felt his eyebrows raise even higher. “Oh. Wow.” The way Ash was squirming around made Kukui doubt that was all that was making him anxious, though. “Was it…a big surprise, or was it just a good-ol’ consensual…kiss-thing?” He chuckled nervously. _

_ Ash considered this and grimaced. “I mean, I can’t say it came out of nowhere, ‘cos I knew she had a crush on me, but I thought if I just didn’t say anything, then it would go away. So it just caught me off guard a little.”  _

_ Ah, yes. The old "if-I-don’t-acknowledge-it-then-it-doesn’t-exist" fallacy. _

_ Kukui nodded and held up his hands placatingly. “That’s totally understandable. You weren’t really expecting a full-out kiss from her, yeah?”  _

_ “Yeah.” He glanced at the letters, a frown on his face. “What should I do, Professor? You’re, like, old and married and stuff.”  _

_ Kukui gave a fake frown. “I will accept that as a compliment.” He paused and thought for a moment. “Look, I think you should definitely tell her. Tell her that you aren’t interested in a relationship because otherwise, you’re just leading her on.” _

_ Ash sighed. “You’re right.” _

_ “What can I say, I always am!” Kukui grinned and puffed out his chest. “But seriously, I know this will be hard.”  _

_ “It will be.” Ash bit his lip. “But I gotta do it. I don’t want to hurt her even more by not telling her.” _

_ Kukui patted his knee. “Atta’ boy.” _

Despite Ash telling her, she seemed…rather clingy still on the phone. But Kukui couldn’t really do anything about that, not until Ash starts to feel well enough to deal with this. 

Hopefully, that will be soon.

… 

Santos didn’t know what to expect when she saw the supposed-brothers unite. But it wasn’t quite  _ this _ .

The doors slide open on the ICU floor, and the young Kapono sprints out of them with his long, lanky legs. “Kukui!” He yells. An aide at the nurse’s station shushes him with a disapproving frown.

Kukui, standing outside the Champion’s room with a phone held to his ear, suddenly jolts to attention. “Kapono!?” He quickly puts the phone back to his ear, barks out a few words in Kantonian, and stashes it away, proceeding toward Kapono. 

Kapono slows his strides to a jog as he approaches. “Kukui, I’m so sorry, I tried to get here sooner, I—“

Kukui interrupts him with a hug—or maybe it was a tackle. “Kaina, oh my God, I’m so glad you’re here!”

“Kua’ana…”  Kapono breaks the hug for a moment to see Kukui’s face.  "I am so, so sorry. How is the keiki holding up?” 

“He’s conscious and doesn’t seem to be in too much pain. He’s sleeping now.” Kukui grins. “I’m so glad you’re his PT, this is…great…” Kukui trails off as Santos approaches them. She probably looks angry.

Kapono sighs. “Actually, I’m not—“

“Yes, you are.” Santos gives in. She turns and murmurs in his ear. “Sorry for being stubborn about it. You’re clearly a better fit for this.”

“What about Peters—“

She waves her arm. “I was wrong, and I didn’t know. I’m sorry. And we can file that claim with HR whenever you want, okay?” 

Kapono steps back. “I—okay. Okay!” He grins widely and turns to Kukui. “Yes, I am his PT, and I’m also yours…” He lifts up the sleeve on Kukui’s sweatshirt. “How’s the elbow? It looks swollen.”

Santos flicks her eyes to Kukui. His elbow had an incision scar on it, definitely for some sort of varus posteromedial rotatory instability. She remembers the hours that Kapono would sit behind his desk, researching and re-researching all sorts of treatment plans for the ever-mysterious Masked Royal to make him match-ready.

Kukui winces as Kapono palpates the joint. “’S just a little sore, I…y’know, whipped the…” Kukui mimes a steering wheel. “It’s totally fine though, please don’t go doctor on me, it’s not a big deal.” 

“I understand, but just because Ash is hurt doesn’t mean you can just  _ decide _ not to take care of yourself, brah.” Kapono’s expression softens, and Santos’s heart fills with pride. He’s very good and has a natural rapport with his patients.

He’s a good kid. Santos will take the flak for him. 

…

Nanu throws down the stack of incident reports in his hand and yells into his phone, “Look, I need a warrant on him. I don’t care that he’s dead, I need to know if he had a motive.” 

“Yes, I understand I could lose my badge.”

“Please don’t give me that. What if he  _ did _ ? We’re talking about the  _ Champion _ , Commissioner. It’s not outside the realm of possibility.”

“Yes, it does matter.”

“I get that I’m biased. But please.”

“Well. I guess I’m going to have to do it my way.” Nanu hangs up before the Commissioner can respond.

Nanu chugs another gulp of burnt-tasting coffee. “Zhou!” He calls down the hallway of the Ula’Ula Police Department.

“Yessir?” She yells back, typing furiously into her desktop. He sent her on an info hunt for that drunk bastard three hours ago and she hadn’t stopped since 1 AM.

Nanu hops up and leans against her desk. “I need you for a project.” 

Her dark eyes flash. “Sir, I think I know what you’re about to say, and I have to say no—”

Nanu grunts. “Off the record. I’m just gonna drop by the guy’s house, peek around, nothing much.” He pokes a picture of his totaled F-250, labeled  _ At-Fault: Wilson, Philip.  _

“What about his wife? It’s five in the morning.” She leans back in her desk chair, one arm crossed over her chest and one hand twirling her long black hair.

Nanu huffs and chuckles. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Suit up, we’re going on a field trip.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhhhh, nanu's such a shit.
> 
> im so sorry for all the info dump here, but i hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> happy valentines day!


	7. contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ash and nanu are READY TO GO!
> 
> feat. the team! and brock and misty! and also angst!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a lot im so sorry i warn in advance

Waking up again, ten hours post-crash, Ash is feeling less high and more curious. After being told again about what happened ten hours ago, he has one haunting question that he’s afraid to ask. 

What happened to the other car?

Ash notices how Burnet and Kukui avoid the topic, and even that Kapono guy who came in to check his cast and sit him up wouldn’t tell him about it.  _ None of this was your fault. Everything’s going to be fine now. It’s over and no one can hurt you _ , they’d say.

…No one could hurt him? They make it sound like someone would want to hurt him in the first place.

Well, that wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility, actually, when he thinks about it. Rocket, Aqua, Magma, Galactic…Hunter J… Plasma…Flare…

Flare. No, no, Lysandre’s dead. He’s not…he can’t be—

“Pikapi?” Pikachu bonks his head gently against Ash’s shoulder. 

Kukui runs a finger over Ash’s knuckles. “Ash? You okay?” 

He snaps his head up, then regrets it when his vision blackens on the edges. He holds back a wince and smiles gently. “Yeah, fine, just thinking.” 

“You must have been thinking pretty hard. I called your name three times before you did anything.” Kukui peers at him. “What’s on your mind?”

Ash takes a moment to collect his thoughts, but the incessant beeping of the various monitors around him keeps him distracted. So, instead of carefully inquiring about the nature of the crash, he asks point-blank.

“What happened to the other car’s driver?” He thumbs the sheet covering him.

Kukui and Burnet look at each other. Heavy silence spreads out to fill the room, like toxic gas.

“They died. They died, didn’t they?” Ash murmurs, unwillingly tearing up.

Kukui nods slowly. Burnet takes Ash’s hand, eyes hard-set.

_ You’re just as bad as Lysandre.  _

_ Murderer. You murderer. You  _ **_killed_ ** _ someone. _

Ash swallows and chokes back a curse. “What was their name?” 

“His name was Philip Wilson.” Kukui looks down at his shoes. “He was drunk when he hit you and he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. He was ejected and died instantly.” 

Ash shuts his eyes tightly—tightly enough to hear blood roaring in his ears. “ _ Kuso _ . I…I killed him.”

**_Killer. Killer. Lysandre. Killer. Killer. KillerkillerLysandrekillerkiller—_ **

“Ash.” Burnet takes a firm hold of his hand and meets his eyes directly. “Ash, you did not kill him. He killed himself. He hurt  _ you _ .” 

“None of this is your fault, Ash, I promise. None of this is your fault,” Kukui insists, eyes filled with wild pleading. 

There’s something more, though. Something else they aren’t telling him. They’re hiding something—Ash knows it. He knows it just like he knows Pikachu is exhausted and his cheeks are painful from holding in electricity. He knows it like he knows that Braviary is in Kukui’s pocket and wants to be released to get a snack. He knows it like he knows Burnet is praying right now. He knows it like he knows Kukui is  _ helpless _ right now. He knows it like he knows people’s feelings.

They’re hiding something. Something big.

“What aren’t you telling me?” Ash moves his eyes between Burnet and Kukui, giving himself a headache.

Kukui gives in once more. “It’s under investigation, but Nanu believes it may have been an attempted murder of you.” 

“Oh.” Ash hums, immediately responding. “So that’s why you're so anxious.”

Burnet narrows her eyes at him while Kukui gives him a blank, idiotic look.

“You don’t know how other people tried to kill me, I guess.” Ash stabs into the dark, trying to feel for a reaction.

He gets none except empty looks of confusion.

Ash decides to Shift Gear. “So, Wilson...He got killed in the process of attempting to kill me?” Ash reasons.

Kukui stammers, “W-well, Nanu said he would have more information regarding the conspiracy soon, and nothing’s set in stone yet, but—“

Ash cuts him off. He was trying  _ so hard _ to not acknowledge the fact that someone wanted Ash dead; at least Brock would acknowledge it all those times it happened. “But I am indirectly responsible for his death, yes?” 

“Ash, you were in no way responsible for it,” Kukui maintains. “Please don’t blame yourself. It might have been a freak accident anyway. Please don’t make any hardcore accusations against yourself, at least not while you’re…” He gestures around the room. “…here. Please.”

Ash nods gently. Kukui had a point; there really was no use worrying when he couldn’t do anything. He could barely lift a finger without ten people coming to ask what was wrong, what he wanted, and what was hurting.

Nothing is wrong, he wants nothing, and everything hurts just a little bit.

“I…you’re right, I guess.” Ash sighs in defeat and sinks down into his bed—so inviting, yet so imprisoning. “I just wish I could…” He glances at his own shaking pale hands. “Wish I could  _ do _ something.”

“Me too, keiki.”

“Me too, sweetheart.” 

Another silence fills the room--though this one is less choking, more comfortable. It isn’t full of secrets; it’s more just full of mutual frustration. But at least they’re sharing something, right? At least there’s some common ground here.

Kukui takes a short breath in. “Actually, Ash, I do have something you could work on, if you’re feeling up to it.” He slides Ash’s phone--cracked, but somewhat functional--into his lap. “Would you like to call Brock?”

…

“Police, open up!” Nanu raps his pale knuckles on the doorframe of the dilapidated condo, located just between Heahea and its suburbs. 

No response comes from inside--not the usual hurried footsteps of inhabitants, or the creaky, heavy footfalls of serial killers, or anything at all. Just eerie silence meets Nanu’s ear.

He tries the doorknob, and the door swings open. 

Zhou raises a brow at Nanu. “Breaking and entering? Is that what we do now?”

Nanu scoffs at her and swings the door wide. “It’s in the public interest.” 

With one hand on his gun and one hand holding a flashlight, Nanu takes point and begins to search the house. 

It’s relatively normal--neat, clean. Almost too clean, he might say. At first thought, it looks like it had been swept of evidence. Nanu looked over its floor plan before he went; it’s a very small property. It’s got a kitchenette, a living room, and one bed/bath up a stairwell. But this place? It’s as empty as its blueprint. There aren’t signs of life here--no shoes by the front door, no pictures on the wall. Just...furniture. Empty drawers. It looks like an Ikea showroom, except...except shittier.

“Upstairs,” Nanu mutters, beckoning Zhou to follow. She keeps her gun pointing down the stairwell while Nanu points his up.

A narrow hallway leads them to a tiny bedroom. The bed is made neatly; it’s military-folded, Nanu recognizes. He pulls out the bedside table drawers, the dresser drawers, the bathroom drawers...and  _ nothing _ . 

“Well, Zhou,” Nanu throws his hands up, walking down the stairs and chuckling darkly. “Either we have the wrong house, or this place has been swept.” 

Zhou whips her ponytail around to turn to Nanu. “Should we dust for fingerpri--” 

She stops in her tracks as they pass the front room again. She breaks off and picks up a sticky note placed on the backside of the door--they must have missed it at first.

“Cheif…” she whispers and holds up the note. Kantonian characters are scrawled all over it. Nanu squints as he translates. 

**_Philip, I know what’s happening. If you find this, you know where I am. I just hope you make it here in time._ **

Nanu grits his teeth. “...A safe house. They’ve got a  _ fuckin’ _ safe house.” 

…

“Brock!” Ash smiles brightly as he holds the phone to his ear. He sees Burnet and Kukui keeping watch through the observation window--normally, he’d find that slightly creepy, but it’s kind of comforting right now--and he gives a V to them. 

_ “Ash, my God, it’s you!”  _ Brock laughs.  _ “The Hakase said you’d be out for a while. Are you okay? How are you feeling?” _

Ash giggles. “Well, you know me, full of surprises. I’m fine. Apparently, I am ‘a miracle’ or whatever.” 

Brock sighs loud enough to pass through the phone.  _ “That you are, brat. Well, you sound mostly okay. I don’t even want to think about your injuries...actually, I do. Send me pictures, I want to diagnose you myself. I’m bored at the airport and Misty’s being mean to me.” _

Ash huffs, short-winded and sarcastic. “‘Kay, Doc...Airport? Where’re you going?” 

_ “Where do you  _ **_think_ ** _ I’m going?”  _

Ash thinks for a second. “...Kalos? For that tournament, Le Monde?” 

_ “Try again. The region that you’re the Champ of.” _

Ash reconsiders. “...Orange? But you can take a boat there, why are you flying?”

_ “Ash.” _

“...Oh. Oh!” Ash realizes. “But why? I’m fine.”

_ “You might feel that way, but I’m sure the holes in your abdomen, the steel rod in your leg, and your concussion disagree. Plus, do I need an excuse to spend time with you? I just straight-up miss you, Ash.” _

“I miss you too, Brock. And Misty too. I’m happy you’re coming.” Ash sighs contentedly and sinks down into the bed. 

_ “Me too.” Brock pauses and huffs. “Now, what the hell happened? The news keeps saying it was a car crash, and Kukui confirmed that, but I want to hear it from you first.” _

“Wait, wait. The news?” The familiar hospital fogginess sets in on Ash. He didn’t remember anything about anyone talking about the news.

Brock winces.  _ “Yeah, the crash got leaked to that Unovan site, TMZ. You’re trending on Twitter. Everyone is talking about you. PSPN stopped their broadcast of Le Monde because of it and everything. Everyone is freaking out.” _

“...Wow. Uh, I’ve been totally out of it for a while. ‘M pretty sure I’m not even supposed to be awake now. This is the first time I’ve looked at a phone, so, uh, I had no idea. But yeah, it’s true, it was a car crash.” Ash calms himself by petting a cooing Pikachu.

_ “They’re also saying that you died. Is that true?” _

Ash tries to play it off comically. “I paid a few visits to Mew, if that’s what they mean by dying.” 

_ “Don’t joke with me, Ash. You know it means more than that.” _ Ash can practically see Brock’s disapproving face saying those words. 

He picks at his IV with an errant, shaking finger. “Sorry. It’s the only way I can deal with all of it right now.”

_ “Are you okay? Answer me for real this time.” _

“I’m fine, seriously. I’m...a little high, and things kinda hurt, and I’m also pretty sure I couldn’t get out of bed if I tried, but other than that I’m fine.” As if to make a counterpoint argument with his statement, Ash’s lungs decide he needs to cough loudly. Burnet’s hand presses against the observation glass and Kukui’s face twists in panic. “Yeah, uh...I’m fine.” He waves his hand and they all relax.

Brock groans.  _ “I swear to God, Ash, if that’s a lie and you hang up the phone and die on me, then--” _

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I gotcha, Brocko,” Ash hums. “Um, has anyone checked on my mom? I know she doesn’t like hearing this kind of thing.”

_ “Kukui called her while you were in surgery and she didn’t take the news that well. I mean, who did? I sure didn’t,”  _ Brock scoffs. _ “I called Tracy and he said that she’s at Oak’s with the two of them plus Gary.” _

“...Did you say Gary?” Ash holds back a stammer.

_ “Yeah, Gary. Weird, I know, but he’s really helping your mom out right now. She, uh...I’m not sure she’s going to fly to Alola.”  _ Brock is hesitant with the last line. 

“Oh, yeah, don’t worry about that. She’s never come to my other deaths.” Ash can’t help but giggle at his own word choice. “Do you think it would help her if I called? ‘Cos I can call her right now.”

_ “Well, Ash...You’ve actually got a pretty long list of people waiting to hear from you in the meantime.”  _ Brock pauses and Ash hears rustling--wait, did he actually have a  _ list _ ?  _ “They were all calling Kukui so I volunteered to help organize them. Most of them can’t actually make it to Alola but still want a tackle-hug from you.” _

Ash takes another lapse, wrapping his head around that. “...How many people are we talking about?” 

_ “Well, your regional friends, mostly. Plus a few Gym Leaders, a few Champions, a few Professors, and a few miscellaneous people. It rounds out to...eh, roughly 250 people.”  _

Ash’s eyes widen. “Wow. Well, I guess I’m not surprised by that number. But how do I call each of them?”

A bunch of static fills the other line.

“Hey, Brock, You there?”

A shrill, female voice enters.  _ “Satoshi Ash Ketchum!”  _

“Misty! Hi!” Ash laughs hard enough to make his IV dance. “How are you?”

_ “H-how am I!? Did this baka just ask me  _ **_how I am_ ** _!?”  _ Ash can hear her scream through the receiver.

Brock cuts in.  _ “Misty, calm down, he’s got a concussion. You screaming in his ear isn’t helpful. He could hear you all the way from Kanto anyway.”  _

_ “Shut up, Brock.” _

“Yeah, shut up, Brock,” Ash giggles.

_ “Ash, you’re such a dork. I love you and hate you for it,”  _ Misty concedes.  _ “But! As for your original question of how you will call 250 people, I have an idea.” _

Brock wails comically,  _ “Oh, God, take cover, Misty has an idea--OW, dammit, don’t kick me!”  _

“Misty, I would love to hear your idea, and Brock, stay down.” Ash yawns ferociously--what!? Tired already!? But he was getting to the best part of their antics!

_ “Thank you, Ash. Well, y’know how you have those private social media things with us? Those have most of the people. Just do a livestream,”  _ Misty suggests.

Brock replies,  _ “Huh, that’s a great idea, actually. But only if you’re up for it, Ash. Maybe wait until you’re out of the ICU and can...y’know, actually form a sentence without risk of death.”  _

Ash sighs. “Sounds good. We can do it right now if you want…” A loud yawn intercepts his sentence.

Misty raises her voice mildly. _ “No, Ash, Brock is right. Rest, please. Or I’ll come there myself and make you rest.”  _

_ “I second that. It’s actually important to sleep when your body tells you to sleep,”  _ Brock tries to explain to drowsy ears. 

“‘Kay...well, tell Mom I called, uh, and that I love her,” Ash murmurs, drowsier by the second. Burnet and Kukui must have noticed, too, because they come in with a soft knock. 

_ “We will, Ash,”  _ Brock confirms. _ “Get some good sleep. We’ll be here when you wake up.” _

_ “We’ll take care of things, so don’t worry that crazy head of yours,”  _ Misty adds.  _ “Our plane’s coming in around afternoon your time, okay? Rest up before we crash your hospital room.” _

“Love you guys. Thanks.” Ash feels the phone slip off his clumsy, jello hands that must have been exposing his exhaustion.

_ “Love you too!”  _ Ash hears two replies. He clicks the little red button and hangs up.

Kukui sticks his head in the door, Burnet following close behind. “Hey. Want us to come in, or do you want some time alone, or...” 

“No, no. ‘S easier to sleep when I know you’re here,” Ash admits rather nervously. “Y’keep nightmares away.” 

Kukui nods with understanding. “Okay then.” They come in quietly. “They’re about to move you to a regular room, yeah? That way you can have more visitors.” 

“...Kiawe and Lillie and Lana and Soph and Mallow?” Ash mumbles, fighting sleep.

“Mmhm. They’re all very excited.” Kukui smiles. “And plus, guess what you can have in a regular room?”

“Pikapikapikapika!” Pikachu jumps and pumps his little furry fists.

“My pokemon?” Ash guesses, a bright smile on his face. He missed them so much.

“Bingo.” Kukui grins. 

“Yay!” Ash grins. He lets out another untamed yawn. 

“Alright, love, sleep tight.” Burnet kisses his forehead.

He loves forehead kisses. They remind him of Mom, and Burnet’s just as good at giving them.

“We’ll be here the whole time, yeah? Only mana’o nani allowed here.” Kukui grins that reassuring grin and adjusts the covers over Ash. 

Ash brings Pikachu up into his arms, knowing that he’s just going to dream about  **Lysandre** and  **Killers** .

…

Kapono adjusts the transport wheelchair for when Ash will wake up, humming softly to himself. He rolls the hoyer lift from the corner of the room and checks the hydraulics, routine setting in--he’s done this a thousand times. He kicks out the right leg of the transfer chair and rolls it close to Ash’s bed--but without warning, his sleeping frame promptly tightens and he gasps.

“Ash?” Kukui springs into action and he and his wife take their stations at Ash’s bedside. “Nightmare?”

Ash’s eyes trail around the room and he nods. The heart monitor beats rapidly.

Kukui shakes his head and runs his hand through Ash’s hair. “Want to talk about it?” 

Ash eyes Kapono and Burnet. He shakes his head.

Kap jumps, realizing he’s part of the problem. “I can come back--”

“No, no. Stay.” Ash gulps. The heart monitor slows as Burnet and Kukui comfort him gently. They seemed to know this routine...did Ash have a prior issue with nightmares? The morphine would only exacerbate that. 

“Okay, if you’re sure.” Kapono grins. “I’m just getting some stuff ready to move you into your new room. If it helps to know, you’ll be able to leave the bed for a good thirty seconds when I move you to the wheelchair for transport!” Kap grins and makes jazz hands, trying to keep positivity.

Ash laughs at Kapono and seems to brighten, especially when Kukui elbows Kapono and murmurs, “You dumbass.”

Ash smiles bright enough to turn his dull-gray anemic skin to a shade of pink. “I’m so ready! I get to see my team! And I get to see my friends!” 

Kap shrugs. “I mean, we can do it now, but you just woke up. Need some time? Or do you want to do it n--” 

“Now!” Ash finishes for him.

“That’s the kind of enthusiasm I like to hear.” Kap grins and preps the hoyer lift. “Now, I don’t love hoyer lifts because they look stupid. Look at it. Fuckin’ stupid-looking,” Kapono laughs and points to the lift. 

Ash giggles heartily, giddy at Kapono’s liberal use of the F-bomb while Kukui shakes his head, blushing on Kap’s behalf.

“But! We need to use the stupid-looking lift because I don’t trust the idea of Kukui carrying you. I mean, he has zero muscle. He hardly ever works out.” Kap lays on the sarcasm, using Kukui as his distraction point for Ash as he sets up the lift. “So, it just kinda scoops you up on both sides, since I can’t balance you and your cast and keep your abdomen straight all at the same time safely. Once we get more work on PT, you can do all of this yourself, but for now, I’m just trying to be safe. Makes sense?” 

Ash nods. “So...I don’t get to stand up?’

Kapono winces along with Burnet and Kukui. “Ah, no, not yet. Soon, though. Give it a couple more days, kiddo. You’ve only been here for sixteen hours.”

Ash shrugs, saying, “That’s fair, I guess.”

“Excellent. Now, let’s get you sitting up... ” Kap moves his hands to help him sit up.

But with a grunt and a push, Ash beats him to it and sits up all by himself. 

Kapono laughs. “Y’know, if you keep stealing my job, I’ll end up fired.”

“Firing you--what I always dream of,” Kukui jokes nervously. He’s visibly tense at the prospect of Ash hurting himself on accident by pushing too hard.

Kap claps his shoulder. “Yeah, yeah.” He situates the sling under Ash and attaches the loops to the lift. “Alright, Ash, ready?”

“Ready!” He smiles and puts his hands on his hips. 

“Okay. One, two, and…” Kap lifts the lever and picks Ash up. “Three. Howzit up there? Anything painful?”

“Nope.” Ash bounces gently, then stops as he discovers that it takes a  _ lot _ of energy. 

“Perfect. Then off we go on this stupid-ass lift.” 

…

Ash likes Kapono a lot--don’t get him wrong!--but he’s kind of exhausting to be around, with his high-energy mannerisms and heavy sarcasm.

Or maybe Ash was just exhausted from moving. That was maybe it.

But regardless, Ash is in his new room now--a  _ big _ room, way bigger than the hospital rooms he’s seen in movies. Kap joked about him having “special Champ privilege,” but it appears it wasn’t really a joke. So Ash chills on his bed--his  _ big _ bed in his  _ big _ room which will make a  _ big _ bill for Mom to pay. 

But that doesn’t really matter now. Ash wants to see his pokemon. 

“Professor…” Ash whines impatiently. “Are’ya done yet?”

“Almost ready, Ash.” Kukui sets out the last of the food bowls and beds for his team. “Okay, okay, done.” Kukui passes him the four pokeballs. “Go for it.”

“Alright! Come out, everyone!” Ash tosses them--well, his toss was a little weaker than usual, but it’s effective nonetheless. With shimmers of light, his four appear.

“Roar?” Incineroar comes out first, rushing over and resting her head on Ash’s bed.

“Hooru?” Rowlet joins him by perching at his feet.

“Me-tal?” Melmetal lumbers over and sits next to Incineroar.

“Roc?” Lycanroc wags his tail and trots over cautiously, resting his front two paws on his bed.

“Pikapika!” Pikachu waves his hands and gesticulates wildly. Ash laughs at Pikachu’s overprotectiveness.

“Pikachu, it’s okay, they can come closer.” Ash smiles. “Hi everyone. I missed you!”

A chorus of cries follows.

“I’m sorry I can’t be up and playing with you. But as long as you all want to be out, I’d love your company. There’s food over there, and…” 

Ash trails off as each of his pokemon comes close, cuddling him in their own way. Lycanroc sidles up to his side first. Pikachu curls up on his shoulder, per usual. Incineroar curls herself up and gets on Ash’s other side, letting her heat transfer over comfortingly. Rowlet tucks himself under Ash’s arm, and Melmetal condenses himself to rest at Ash’s feet. Kukui smiles from a distance and the shutter of Burnet’s phone camera goes off as she giggles. 

Ash feels his eyes brim over with another set of unwilling tears. “Aw, thank you, guys.”

Ash isn’t sure how long they sit like that, but pretty soon, they all drift off to sleep.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoo boy.
> 
> a lot left to deal with.
> 
> how was y'all's week? happy friday!


	8. interference

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> livestream!!!!!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! i tried to include as many characters as i thought was appropriate. the alola crew will be there next chapter, plus TRio. 
> 
> also, if you've ever written a greninja fic, hats off to you. this is my first time writing him, so i hope it works out okay!

_Alola Champion in Fatal Car Crash_

_Champion Satoshi Ketchum Admitted to ICU, Prognosis Unclear_

_Alola Champion Sustains Life-Threatening Injuries_

_Tapu Sightings in Downtown Hau’oli_

_Reported Mew Sighting in Melemele Forest Near Highway 12_

_Ultra Aura Levels Increase, Causes Unclear_

_Legendary Pokemon Sightings Increase, Scientists Weigh In_

Ash chuckles slightly as he scrolls through Twitter with his cracked, half-functional phone. Mew wasn’t kidding—the Hall of Origin was upset at his death. Well, hopefully he won’t have to do much damage control; it’s not like he’s in great shape to do any world-saving right now. They can work it out; he’s alive now.

He moves onto Trending Nearby, where people still believe he’s dead.

_RIP Ash_

_RIP to a legend, prayers up_

_Rest In Power Brother_

_hope the Blinding One treats you nice bro_

_talented trainer, you will be missed_

_don’t drive drunk, you might hit a celebrity lmao_

Ash can’t help but laugh out loud at that last one. It was probably rude—a bunch of replies were super pissed off about how it was disrespectful—but he still found it funny. He taps the retweet button on a whim.

Wait, shit, that was his verified Champ account.

…Too late. With one swipe to refresh the page, it was clear people noticed.

“Did you just tweet?” Kukui snickers and glances at his phone, buzzing rapidly.

“Yeah, I retweeted something. Meant for it to go on my private page, but, uh…looks like people noticed.” He winces when his phone, left on his abdomen, vibrates and upsets his incision. He glances at it—a subtweet by Gary Oak: _this fucking bitch._ That just makes Ash laugh harder.

“You gonna do a livestream tonight?” Kukui asks when his Gary-induced laughter fades.

Ash nods. “Yeah, I think so, If I can stay awake long enough.” On cue, he yawns. “Dunno why I’m so tired. I don’t really even feel high anymore, I’m just sleepy."

“I think that’s pretty normal. You’re healing, yeah? You need rest to get better.” Kukui drums his fingers on his knees. “Plus, Kap’s been working you hard.”

“Yeah, and I get why, ‘cos I need to get stronger. It’s just frustrating that I’m working so hard but the best thing I can do is sit at the edge of the bed without falling over.” Ash scoffs, in a bad mood again. “I want to be able to stand up.”

“But your abs need to be more built up before you’re steady enough to stand.” Kukui frowns and a darkness passes over his face. “If you fell…”

“That’d be bad, I know.” Ash thumbs at the laminated bracelets on his wrist, one of which was bright yellow and inscribed with _FALL RISK._ “'M just impatient, is all.”

“That’s understandable.” Kukui sighs. “I wish I could do something to help, honest to Tapu.“

“No. It’s on me, Professor.” Ash huffs. “You being here is more than enough. I know you’re super busy and it’s not like we’re related or anything—“

Kukui cuts him off. “Shh.” He moves to sit on the edge of Ash’s bed and pets Lycanroc when his head raises in question. “It doesn’t matter that we’re not related. You’ve said it yourself—we’re family. I’m not gonna just leave you alone here. You deserve better than that.” Kukui tucks a stray strand of hair behind his ear. “Unless you want me gone, I’m staying.”

Ash just looks at Kukui, brow furrowed, thinking that the pain meds were fuddling him. Everyone always has work to do, places to go, people to see. Why should Ash come first? It’s not like he did anything to deserve that.

“…I mean, if you want me to go, then I can—“

Ash snaps out of it. “No, no! No, I didn’t—no, I don’t want you to go, please. I was just, y’know, thinking. I just…don’t get why I’m important, outside of Champion stuff. I don’t get why I’m…important to you, or to Professor Burnet.” Ash glances at her and smiles gently; she’s splayed out napping in the sofa in the corner. 

“Ash…” Kukui looks straight into his eyes, and Ash feels… _seen_. “I don’t know how I’m ever gonna get it through to you that I love being the…adult in charge of you, or whatever. I don’t know how I can show you how much I care about you, how much I want you to be happy and safe, and how much I want you to _feel_ loved and important. ‘Cos you are.” 

Ash stops fiddling with his phone and drops it. “…You really feel that way about me?”

“Yeah, of course I do. Burnet and I both do. You’re, like…our keiki.” Kukui smiles shyly and shrugs.

Ash’s cheeks cramp into a smile at that and he giggles quietly.

God, it feels nice to have a family.

…

Brock scans the hallway, looking for the room the attendant said Ash was in. The orthopedic department is sprawling—rooms upon rooms upon rooms stacked next to each other, and rooms added on top of those with partitions and curtains. Whatever made more money, right? The hospital environment wasn’t new to Brock at all, really, because of his rotations in human medicine, but he’s more used to the coziness of Pokemon Centers. 

Thankfully, it doesn’t take that much time to find Ash’s room. It’s pretty clear which one is his—there are police officers milling around it and tables of flowers and gifts are waiting outside, perhaps in overflow. Brock could hear the cries of Pokemon and human laughter inside from out in the hallway. That was a good sign.

Brock sighs, collecting himself before he opens the door.

“I see you doing that,” Misty murmurs at his side, nudging him gently.

“Hm?” Brock snaps his head to her.

“Putting on your Doctor Face.” 

“…I’m not—“

Misty punches his arm. “Yeah, you are. Look, it’s just Ash. You don’t have to put on a front for him. God knows everyone else is,” she scoffs. “Just be you. We all have known each other for too long to not be ourselves.”

Brock holds his hands up. “All right, all right, I’ll lay off the bedside manner.”

She grins, hand on the door handle. “Good.” She swings it open, and there Ash was, on his bed, surrounded by his team. Kukui and Burnet were on a small sofa on the other side of the room, talking something over quietly while looking at a laptop.

“Koncha!” Misty manages to greet first before Ash explodes into excitement.

“Misty! Brock!” It’s clear that Ash can hardly contain himself. He scrambles to sit up in the bed with a tiny grunt, then beams brighter than a thousand suns. “Hi! You’re here early!” 

“Well…” Brock starts explaining while clasping Ash’s hand in greeting.

“I…may or may not have sent the Aether jet over,” Burnet shrugs slyly.

“Thank you so much, Professor.” Brock bows in futsuurei, and Misty follows. “Ya, Kukui-hakase, arigato gozaimasu.” They bow again. 

Kukui waves his hand in dismissal. “Aw, no, I’m just glad you guys could make it. Welcome to Alola,” he greets, grinning. He chuckles shortly, saying, “I can _very_ much see that Ash is excited to see you."

Ash is now practically bouncing up and down—actually, he definitely _is_ bouncing up and down. “Yay! I’m so glad you’re here! It’s been, like, forever! And I really super-duper missed you! A lot!” 

“Oh my God, you total goofball, we missed you too,” Misty laughs and sits down on the bed when Ash pats it rapidly, and Brock joins them on the opposite side.

“How are you feeling?” Brock has to let himself play doc this time. With a glance of the monitor, Brock sees his blood pressure is low, to say the least—Brock has no idea how he’s not comatose, let alone bouncing on the bed like it’s a funhouse. His sats are low and his end tidal volume is low too…weird…and—wait, 101ºF? His vitals look like he has pneumonia or something. These numbers would be expected after the trauma that Ash’s body is responding to, but the fact that Ash is acting so healthy...it’s weird. Fishy. Brock feels unsettled by it.

“I’m good! Really good! Despite what the news says, I am not dead!” Ash grins toothily and gestures to the muted, flickering TV. 

“Yes, good job not dying,” Misty facetiously congratulates him. 

Ash plays along. “It’s a full-time job, y’know. Not dying.” His lips turn up as he tries to suppress giggles.

“Oh, really?” Misty touches her chest in shock. “For most people, it comes pretty naturally.”

“For _most_ people,” Brock emphasizes. Ash and Misty break off into giggles while the married Professors look on in mild horror.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, gimme a break, semi-normal people, it’s not like you guys haven’t seen your share of stuff,” Ash, still giggly, retorts.

No one says anything to that, because the underlying meaning there is clear: they only experience the strange and paranormal when Ash is around.

“Um, anyway!” Ash grins like that moment didn’t just happen. "Whatcha got there?” Ash peeks at the insulated bag in Brock’s hands, forgotten long ago.

“Oh! I almost forgot,” Brock murmurs, pulling the tupperware containers out.

“Brock, in typical magical Mommy fashion, made food,” Misty explains to the highly confused Professors. 

As Brock opens up the small container on Ash’s over-the-bed table, Ash looks close to tears all of a sudden. 

“You okay?” Brock murmurs in question.

“You…you made me _ramen_. _Your_ ramen,” Ash murmurs. 

“Yeah, ‘cos I know you like it.” Brock smiles and snaps open the giant container of his recipe of Pokechow, plus a few handfuls of nuts and bolts. “And I know you guys like this, too, so eat up.” He sets the container down and Ash's pokemon congregate around it, munching happily.

Ash dips his head as far over the bowl as he can, scooping up noodles and broth and shoving it into his face. He stops for a moment for air. “…’S _so_ good, Brock, oh my _God_ , it’s even better than I remember,” Ash moans. “Tonkotsu!? How did you do this in a _hotel kitchenette!?_ ”

Brock puts a finger to his lips. “Trade secret.” 

He eyes the Professors, who seem happy at Ash’s happiness. Though...there’s something else there, especially in Burnet—perhaps she’s not as good at hiding it. Uncertainty. Insecurity. _Fear_. It’s almost suffocating.

Brock clears his throat. “I, um, made extra, since I figured you guys haven’t eaten for a good twenty-four hours.” He passes the two smallest containers over to them. Brock bends his head in a miniature bow before sitting back down next to Ash.

“Oh, wow, thank you,” Kukui murmurs, surprised. He opens the lid out of courtesy, but Brock has fed too many people not to recognize the complete _lack_ of hunger in Kukui’s eyes.

Burnet takes a quiet whiff. “Mm, it smells delicious. Ash, you rack up the most considerate friends, don’t you?” She deflects to him, pointedly not eating.

He looks up, noodles still hanging out of his mouth. “Yeah, I guess I do!” He smiles, but his face falls when he sees neither of them eating. “Professors, please, eat. I haven’t seen you guys have anything except coffee.”

They both look at him, eyebrows cocked, with faces that scream, _Please don’t choose this to fight about_.

Ash considers, then suggests, “...What if I told you it would make me feel better if you ate?” 

At that (somewhat manipulative) comment, they both begin to eat without complaint. 

“...Do you like it?” Ash prompts, eyes expectant.

They answer simultaneously:

“Oh, yes, it’s wonderful.“

“Absolutely, really delicious.“

Ash blinks at them for a few moments longer, then nods and grins with satisfaction. “Good! Yokatta!” He returns to shoveling his ramen into his mouth.

“So!” Misty rubs her hands together. “I got your livestream set up on the way here, if you’re still interested.”

“Wait, that way I can talk to everyone, right?” Ash asks. “On my finsta or are we going, like, public?”

Kukui and Burnet glance nervously at each other. Kukui speaks rapidly, “Uh, well, the League hasn’t made an official statement yet, so I feel like going public right now might not be—"

Misty waves her hand. “No, no, no, I set it up with his private Instagram, don’t worry.” She winces. “I… _maybe_ gave Lance, Cynthia, and Diantha access to your finsta so that they could see the stream. Sorry,” she apologizes to Ash.

“Oh, man, what was the last thing I posted on there?” Ash groans.

Brock pulls it up and wheezes when he sees it, almost unable to speak. “A picture of Lana cuddling a bottle of Fireball with the caption, ‘I wonder if I could make more money selling feet pics than as a Champion,’ end quote.” Even the two Professors laugh at that, while Ash’s face goes scarlet.

Misty cackles, bent over in laughter. “I bet Lance is just _thrilled_ that he gets to be a part of these posts.”

Ash groans and buries his face in Incineroar’s shoulder, making her purr. “Okay, okay, let’s get this over with before you get me in any more trouble.”

“Alright, let’s do it then.” Misty pulls out her laptop from Brock’s backpack, types in a few things, and sets the camera up. “You ready?”

“…I guess. I probably look awful, huh?” Ash chuckles.

“Like death warmed over, kiddo.” Brock smooths Ash's hair down and pinches his cheeks lightly to bring a bit of color to them. 

“Alright, ikuzo,” Ash brushes Brock’s hands away, scoots himself to sitting up, and gets Pikachu on lap to pet absentmindedly.

Misty nods, grins, and clicks the **LIVE** button.

Within a mere couple of seconds, _everyone_ is on. 

Ash takes a deep breath. “Hi everyone!”

The laptop nearly crashes as all the comments come in, buffering the video quality.

Ash grins, seeing all the reactions. “Uh…I lived, bitch?” 

The comment section _explodes_.

_broke_oak_ : **you whore stop dying on us**

Ash laughs, though he winces and holds a hand to brace his forehead. “Wait, wait, I can’t read all the comments at once, sorry. But! Gary, thank you for the wonderful observation that I am a whore.” 

Brock chortles. “Why don't you give an...opening statement?”

Ash nods. “Okie. Yeah, so, I didn’t die. Please stop calling Kukui-hakase and asking if I’m dead or not, ‘cos, uh, I’m not. Uh...what else? Oh! It wasn’t a legendary this time.” Ash pauses for a second as he considers that. “Well, there was a little bit of legendary stuff. But it wasn’t the cause. So, don’t worry, I don’t think I caused any kind of global destruction this time.” 

“Pika-pika!” Pikachu nods in confirmation.

Brock chuckles and shakes his head. That statement made another flood of comments. 

_pip1up.stan.acc_ : **i will punch arceus with my bare fist if i get ONE MORE phone call saying you died**

“Dawn, it’s fine, don’t freak out. Mew and Arceus have some sort of plan, I think?” He shrugs.

_MAYple_syrup:_ **i feel so reassured by that**

_inventorgarçon:_ **^^^ second**

Ash shakes his head. “May, Clemont, I promise, it’s fine. No one’s heard from Yveltal, right?” 

__kal0s_qu33n:_ **no, no sightings or anything, things are pretty quiet**

_inventorgarçon:_ **except for Le Monde. alain literally almost cancelled it when he heard you died**

“Wait, cancel the tournament? Why?” Ash frowns. “Alain…” 

_megamegamega:_ **i panicked ash are you good i’m worried should i come**

“No! It’s fine! You’re the league champion, stay and run your tournament.” Ash sighs. “I want something good to watch on TV anyway. Say hi to Diantha for me if you see her."

_championne_ : **ASH KETCHUM IM HERE**

_garchompblondie:_ **we’re literally all in kalos right now for the tourney and we’re having a meeting to decide whether or not to come, ash we miss you and we want to see you!!!!!!!**

“Diantha! Cynthia! I miss you too! And it’s fine, stay at Le Monde. But wait, when you say ‘we,’ who do you mean?” Ash’s brow furrows.

_OG.dragonginger_ : **all of us champs**

“OHMYGOD, LANCE! HI!” Ash shrieks happily, then pants and coughs as his lungs resist the action. 

“Shit, Ash...” Kukui jumps up, alerted, and moves into a routine that seemed well-memorized. He raises the head of Ash’s bed by two clicks, tucks the long-ago abandoned cannula behind Ash’s ears, and turns the oxygen stream up from two liters a minute to four liters a minute. He puts his hands on his hips, lips pursed in concern, while Ash blushes in embarrassment.

_axew69420:_ **jesus fuck ash if you die on this stream i will commit**

_striatonstateofmind:_ **^**

_gluteus.MAX.imus:_ **^**

_inventorgarçon:_ **^ bonnie is sobbing next to me because she thinks you’re dying again**

“No, I’m finished dying. Promise. And Bonnie, it’s okay, yeah? I’m not going anywhere!” Ash smiles warmly. “Wish I could give you a hug right now. How’s Dedenne? And Squishy? And Greninja? Have you seen him?”

_inventorgarçon:_ **he’s doing well. he learned Play Rough a few weeks ago, bonnie is v proud. squishy stops by the gym or sycamore’s place once a month like he usually does. and greninja is actually sitting next to me watching you. i meant to dm you that he came to the gym but i had no idea if you were, yknow, dead, so**

Ash gasps. “Wait, really? He’s _there_!? Greninja, everything’s fine on my end, _please_ stop trying to bond with me. I’m not gonna let you."

Silence passes for a second. A few comments slide by, asking about who Greninja was. Honestly, Brock and Misty didn’t know much other than he and Ash had a really unique relationship. It was clear that neither Kukui nor Burnet had any clue about said ninja frog.

_inventorgarçon:_ **hold on he’s doing something weird**

Ash stops in his tracks as… _something_ passes over his face. “Greninja, please, we have to do everything _together_. That was the deal. Please. You gotta stop.” 

“Pikachu! Pika, pikachu!” Pikachu waves his arms.

“Ash, what’s going on?” Brock taps his uninjured knee. His heart rate was rising quickly. 

“Greninja, he…he’s trying to bond, he’s so strong, no, _please_ , I won’t let you…” Ash murmurs. “God, I can’t hold him back much longer…” 

Floods of comments come in, demanding to know what was happening.

_OG.dragonginger:_ **ash what the fuck is happening and leader clemont i swear to god i will take away your license if you let anything happen to ash.**

_inventorgarçon:_ **greninja won’t listen to me**

Ash grits his teeth and swallows. “No, Lance. Clem. Distract him. Get Bonnie to jump on top of him, play loud noises, get him out of it.”

_inventorgarçon:_ **got it**

There’s silence in the room and on the stream as everyone waits. The stress wrinkles on Ash’s face relax ever-so-slightly as time passes.

Brock watches the vital monitors. His sats increase. His end tidal volume increases. His blood pressure rises. His temperature drops down two degrees.

Ash falls against his pillows and pants heavily. “He’s out.”

_inventorgarçon:_ **ok i banged some pots and pans and got bonnie to tackle and kiss him and i think it worked**

Ash nodded. “Yeah, he’s gone. Is he okay? I had to keep him out. I don’t know what would happen if he took…all this from me.” 

_inventorgarçon:_ **he’s pissed but he’s okay, i think he gets it. i got him to hold bonnie so he seems pretty distracted**

“Good, good. Take good care of Bonnie, that’s what I want you to do.” Ash points the screen wearily, like when he instructs his pokemon. “Clemont, you gotta make sure he doesn’t try that again. What if he…I feel like something _really_ bad would happen if he took all this pain.”

_inventorgarçon:_ **i understand, i’ll try my best**

“So!” Ash sighs, then yawns loudly. “Ew, tired.”

“Go to sleep, please,” Kukui mutters from across the room. 

Ash looks at him, rebellion sharp in his eyes but a smile on his face. “No.” He sticks his tongue out.

_pip1up.stan.acc_ : **listen to your dad**

_Everyone_ replied with “ **^**.”

“…Fine, fine.”

Misty pats his uninjured leg. “Got closing remarks?” 

Ash cocks his head. “Uh…Miss you guys a lot. Try not to worry. I think I’m gonna be stuck in this room for a while, so I probably will be back tomorrow. Um, what am I forgetting?” His eyes drift, landing on the flowers overflowing on his bedside table. "Oh! Thanks for the gifts! Arigato gozaimasu! And good luck at Le Monde if you’re competing, I’m gonna be watching! And, um, Gary?”

_broke_oak:_ **what ashy-boy**

“Keep an eye on Mom for me, please.”

_broke_oak:_ **will do**

“Okay.” Ash yawns again. “Love you all. A lot. Bye-bye.” 

Ash clicks the **END LIVE** button and sighs deeply. 

“Hey. Good job, sweetheart.” Burnet sinks down on his bed and runs her fingers through his hair, striking Brock as shockingly similar in mannerisms to Delia. 

“Heh. Thanks,” he hums. “Kukui-hakase. ’S okay. C’mere.” 

Kukui, at the prompt, snaps out of whatever deep thinking he was doing, and comes to rest at Ash’s side, taking his hand and kissing it. He glances at Brock and Misty, eyes conveying a message.

“Alright, Ash, visit over.” Brock nods his head at Misty, and they both stand to head toward the door. “We’ll be back tomorrow, okay? No more trouble ’til then.”

“‘Kay.” Ash waves his fingers gently. 

“Bye, Ash,” Misty calls quietly.

“Bye, Ash. Sleep well.” Brock lets the door close behind him gently.

_…_

One mississippi. Two mississippi. Three mississippi.

Zhou stares at the popup window on her laptop for another three seconds.

It’s still there.

She rubs her eyes. One mississippi. Two mississippi. Three mississippi.

It’s still there.

_Rachel Zhou:_

_You and your fiancé live on 203 Diamond Street, Apartment 809. Your off-duty car is a silver Camry, Alola license plate LYX-786. Your social security number is 753-16-9080. You arrive home at 9 pm on weekdays. Your fiancé arrives at home at 6 pm. He owns no weapons. The entry code to your security system is 78-01-23._

_You have been warned._

One mississippi. Two mississippi. Three mississippi.

It’s still there.

_Shit_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **panicked police noises**
> 
> how was your monday?


	9. jailbirds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zhou's in danger and nanu doesn't like asking for help.
> 
> wait ash is literally both of these lmao
> 
> plus kiawe is a soft boi and Platonic Cuddling™

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you SO MUCH ANGEL FOR YOUR BETA and thank you SO MUCH SAPPH FOR ALWAYS BEING SO SUPPORTIVE AND LOVING
> 
> since it's ~coronacation~ i can finally update lmao
> 
> ok, first things first. this is an outlined, plotty story. i love your suggestions! but this isn't a prompt fic and i have things all planned out. love you very very much but please don't be sad if your suggestion doesn't make it to print.
> 
> um, not sure what to say here, but since it's been a minute i would maybe recommend you go and reread the very last section of the last chapter. tl;dr? zhou is being stalked and her fiance is being threatened.
> 
> love you all v much

Nanu slams his fist down on the desk. “I’m telling you, Zhou, organized crime. Who else could orchestrate Ash’s death, escape to a safehouse, take down the network so quickly, and has the resources to stalk you?” 

She throws her hands up—she was hoping this would just be a few crazies, but Nanu’s right...it probably  _ is _ something bigger. “Okay, who?” 

Locally, the only organized crime there is includes Team Skull, who…aren’t huge threats, unless you consider graffiti-ing buildings to be of massive concern. There’s Viren’s mafia, too, but currently, it seems only centered around financial crime.

He flicks the evidence baggie with the Kantonian-scribbled post-it note. “Well, they speak Kantonian. Might be from the Archipelago. Most of those organizations are,“ he mumbles under his breath.

“Okay, so Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh…Team Rocket?” She cocks an eyebrow.

Nanu shakes his head, then lowers his voice so the other officers milling around the station can’t hear. “Giovanni says he doesn’t operate ‘violently’ in Alola, and it looks too sloppy to be him anyway. Let’s shelve that for the moment.” 

“Magma and Aqua?”

“No, they’re defunct. They don’t have international goals anyway.” 

“Galactic?”

Nanu pauses and considers that one. “I, uh. Perhaps. Cyrus is dead for all intents and purposes, but they made some big waves while they existed. I know Interpol was lenient with some of the grunt’s sentences. I wouldn’t be surprised if they resurfaced.” 

She spins her pen on her finger, underlining  _ Galactic _ in red ink on a legal pad. “Do you think any of them have an interest in Ketchum?” 

Nanu gapes at her. “You’re joking. Have you  _ seen _ that kid’s Interpol file?” 

She shrugs; she has the clearance for Interpol files using her old access code, but she hadn’t bothered with it during these past couple of days. “Maybe at some point? But my whole net is still down, so I couldn’t pull it up if I tried.” 

“Fair.” He lays his hands down on the desk and lowers his voice again. “Every yakuza, mob, and mafia that exists wants that boy dead for some reason or another. Another reason why I think this was organized.” 

“Well, you could have told me that from the beginning.” Out of habit, she moves to key in her Interpol credentials, but the computer just beeps sadly. “Shit.” 

Nanu scowls and yells out, “Lawrence! When will the network come back up?”

The harried IT officer shakes his head. “I-I dunno, sir, it’s corrupted pretty badly, it might be another eight hours or so—“

Nanu interrupts him, “Cut that to two.”

“Y-yes, sir.” He types even more rapidly.

Zhou has a little pity for the poor kid. She used to be like that, back in Interpol…one of many "computer girls" who were only fighting for deadlines and damage reports, feeding on intel like poochyenas on peanut butter.

Nanu digs his toes into the worn cement floor. “Is there anything we can do right now to progress the investigation without putting you, your fiancé, or the network on the line?”

She shakes her head. “Not that I can think of, Chief. We’re sitting duckletts.” 

He runs a hand through his thin salt-and-pepper hair and groans, “Argh, goddamn it.” 

Zhou presses her lips tight—she was about to quip about how God didn’t really care about them, as two self-proclaimed agnostics, but she holds her tongue. The Chief’s gears are turning and she can’t interrupt him like this. 

He huffs. “Let me call the Commissioner, appeal to him, see if he’ll take over the investigation—” 

“No. No, Chief, whoever is doing this, they are  _ bluffing _ . We were close and we found something, obviously. We can’t give up now.” She tries to pull up the fingerprint database; the computer beeps sadly again. She’ll give those bastards—Galactic, TR, whoever—one thing; they could sure obstruct an investigation. She hadn’t seen such destruction to the network since her work in Interpol. “Look, when we get the net up and running again, we can run the prints and trace the message and then we can find their safehouse—” 

Nanu cuts her off. “No, Rachel, you saw the message. They will  _ know _ when the network is back up and they will strike if we continue. I can’t have your fiancé’s blood on my hands, or yours for that matter. I won’t. I can’t take that risk again, not on my watch.” 

“Chief, I know why you feel hesitant about this, but we have to keep going! It’s not like the Commissioner will ever accept our evidence even if he wanted to. It was taken without a warrant!” She holds up the evidence baggie, containing one yellow post-it note. 

Nanu scoffs and kicks the filing cabinet in the corner, muttering to himself in a frustrated manner.

All of this was going to shit.

Daveed…She had promised him when she took his ring that she would keep work  _ at work _ and keep home  _ at home _ .

What if Nanu is right—what if they  _ aren’t _ bluffing?

She might come home and find him DOA. And it would be her fault for letting home and work intersect.

What a mess.

She lets herself zone out, thinking only of Daveed’s face. His perfect jawline, the scar right above his left eye, the freckles that dot his cheeks, the…

As she continues to zone out, her eyes settle on a bumper sticker cemented to the filing cabinet. That bumper sticker always made her grin; she and Nanu bought it as a “station-warming” gift after quitting Interpol. It’s rectangular and emblazoned with the Interpol logo, shaped like one of those infamous notices, reading,  _ Brown Notice: Shit Investigation Incoming. _

Interpol…

_ Interpol _ .

She knocks her knuckles on her desk. “What about Interpol?”

Nanu raises a bushy black eyebrow at that suggestion. “Interpol…wait, Zhou,  _ what? _ No!"

“Desperate times, Nanu.” She presses her lips back together.

“Why the  _ hell _ would I ever want to get near an Interpol agent again?” Nanu nearly roars. 

“100kr would help us—” 

“100kr was complicit in  _ murder _ , Zhou. Murder of a  _ fellow operative. _ A  _ member of our team _ . At least we quit after it happened. He stayed right under Interpol’s bloody thumb because it was  _ the easy thing to do _ ."

“Regardless of his morality, 100kr was promoted afterward.” Zhou attempts to choose her words carefully. “He’d have the clearance to give us a blue notice. That’s all we need. Then we’ll cut him loose.” 

Nanu just looks at her, then scoffs. She’s right and he knows it. 

“Look, you  _ know _ I don’t want to do this.” She rubs the inside corner of her eye; how long has she been awake for? “But…” She can’t even say it. 

Nanu’s steely gaze softens a bit at that.

“Calling Interpol doesn’t mean that they control us or that we’re stooping down to their level,” she reasons. “It means we’re using them.”

Nanu glares at her. “That’s oversimplifying it and you know it."

She concedes. “Okay, fine. But this way, you get to keep the investigation and the Commissioner can’t intervene.” 

“Tch.” Nanu hisses and pulls his burner phone out of his jacket pocket. “Take a break, Rachel. It’s gonna be a while ’til I can work something out with 100kr.”

“I’ll be in the range. Find me when you get something.” She slides out of her chair and secures her pistol on her hip. She needs to let off some steam; maybe gunpowder and lead will do the trick.

* * *

  
  


“ _ And up next in Le Monde Tournament! Korrina versus Wattson!” _ The announcer squawks through the TV speakers. 

“YES! GO, KORRINA AND LUCARIO! GO, WATTSON AND MANECTRIC!” Ash cheers as if they could hear him around the globe in Kalos. 

“Do you know  _ all _ of them?” Kiawe shovels another handful of Doritos into his mouth and then passes the bag back over to Ash. Ash has been able to share anecdotal stories about every single battling pair that they've seen so far.

He shrugs. “Well, most of them! I don’t know the Galar ones—YES! Bone Rush!” He’s glued back to the TV as Korrina makes her opening move.

“You mean, you don’t know them  _ yet, _ ” Mallow supplies, smirking. “It’s only a matter of time before Ash befriends the whole world.”

“Hey, it’s not a bad goal.” Ash grins and shrugs, licking Dorito dust off his lips.

“Is it feasible, though, is the question,” Lana muses.

“I think it’s a wonderful goal,” Lillie, who had been quiet for most of the visit, pipes up. “Ash is certainly capable.”

“Thank you, Lillie!” Ash leans back over from where he was resting against Sophocles’s lap and wraps an arm around her thin, pale shoulders. “You’re always so supportive!”

She blushes and hugs him back. Ash has that knack of knowing what to say to make people feel at ease. They had all been tense ever since they set foot into his hospital room. What would they say? How could they talk without bringing up his death every ten seconds? How could it not be…awkward?

But of course, Ash and awkward don’t go together. He’s in perpetual motion—there’s no room for him to be awkward. He somehow comforts everyone  _ else _ around him.

“Dang! How did we go through these so fast!?” Ash exclaims, gazing at the empty Dorito bag in shock.

“You have a bottomless pit for a stomach.” Mallow slides off the bed and rummages through her backpack, presenting more food. “Thankfully, I have the resources to support it.” 

Ash takes the container of cookies and pops one in his mouth. “Yay! You guys are the best, bringing me all kinds of cool stuff!” 

They all collectively  _ aaaww _ at that; they had pitched in and gotten a few things as gifts to him, including a twelve-foot charging cord so he could use his phone even though the outlet was on the other side of the room, various foods from Mallow’s place, several fuzzy blankets that Ash's cold-natured body could snuggle under, and, apparently, the gag gift of Cuervo mini-bottles, which were confiscated at the doorway by an  _ I’m-not-mad-I’m-just-disappointed _ Professor Kukui. Whoops, Lana miscalculated on that one, but “at least it wasn’t crack,” she said.

Sophocles, finding a new idea, grins. “Ash, can I draw on your cast?” 

Ash cocks his head, cookie halfway out of his mouth, but then lights up as he registers what Sophocles asked. “Ooh! Yes, go for it! Draw!”

The kids (plus Pikachu, brandishing a sharpie) dive into work decorating the otherwise sparse fiberglass encasing his leg—sans Kiawe, whom Ash was laying on top of and playing with his hair. His eyes flit back and forth from Kiawe’s red-streaked hair to the TV to the cookies to his cast, though they close gently when Kiawe strokes his nose with a soothing touch. 

“Ash, calm down,” he murmurs. “You’re so tense.” Although Kiawe is the biggest and the brawniest of the group, he has a soft side that Ash seemed to bring out.

“No, ‘m not!” Ash protests, though his squeaking tone reveals otherwise. “It’s just…it’s just that…I dunno…”

The rest of the group stops doodling for a moment, alerted by Ash’s distress. Pikachu waddles over to rub his cheek against Ash’s arm, squeaking at a soft volume.

Kiawe encourages gently, “Just what?”

“This is all…really weird. Like, it  _ feels _ normal to be hanging out with you guys, but I hate having it be here, and everyone’s really nervous, I can feel it!” Ash grits his teeth. “I really hate it here. Can we escape?”

“Pikapi!” Pikachu rapidly rubs Ash’s shoulder in a frantic attempt to calm him down.

Mallow bites her lip and caps her sharpie at this comment. “Sometimes, I can’t tell when you’re joking, and that’s scary.” 

“I’m not joking. I need to get out of here.” Ash winces, sitting up, but Kiawe gently pulls him back down again.

“Shh. You can’t. So just be content here for thirty seconds.” Kiawe glances at his watch. “Starting now.”

Ash frowns at him. “Thirty seconds?”

Kiawe nods. “Thirty seconds. That’s all I’m asking.”

Ash turns and rests his cheek on Kiawe’s shoulder, hissing slightly when the stitches on his orbital bone graze Kiawe’s skin.

“Shh, shh, it’s alright. Thirty seconds.” Kiawe starts stroking the bridge of his nose again.

“Don’t do that, I’m gonna fall asleep,” Ash murmurs disgruntledly.

Kiawe just chuckles at him and keeps stroking with a gentle finger, sensing Ash’s breathing slow and feeling him melt into the touch, just like Mimo does when he pulls this trick. 

The TV squawks on as the match progresses, and Ash smiles when the now-Mega Lucario delivers a final Aura Sphere to KO. 

Kiawe checks his watch—five seconds, four, three, two...

“Can we have another thirty seconds?” Ash murmurs, just under his breath.

“Absolutely.” 

* * *

Zhou slides the clip in.

Aim.

One breath. Hold.

_ Bam. Bam, bam. Bam bam bam. Bambambambambambambambambambambamclick. _

Fifteen rounds and fifteen hits. She’s out again. Zhou slides out the clip and moves to refill it with the box of .40s set against the wall of the shooting range.

“Zhou.”

She snaps her head up and pops out her earplugs. “Chief. Care to join me?”

“No, thanks. You know how bad of a shot I am.” Nanu bends down, knees creaking, and retrieves the small gray box, then pours out fifteen of the tiny brass bullets into Zhou’s hand.

“Another time, maybe.” She plunks the bullets inside the cartridge one by one. “What’s the word from Interpol?” 

“100kr will be here in eight hours.” Nanu keeps his poker face on; this is strictly business. “Anything from your fiancé?”

“I told him to go visit his folks in San Francisco.” She puts on her own poker face. Strictly business. 

Nanu nods. “Good move.” 

“Mm.” 

He thumbs his own G22 on his hip. “How many cartridges?”

“Hm?” She cocks her head.

“How many cartridges does it take to calm down for you?” 

She shrugs. “Usually two or three. Today it was five.” 

He grins darkly. “Y’know what, maybe I will join you. How about another five?”

Zhou lets a smile creep onto her lips for the first time since she got the stupid stalker message. “You’re on, Chief.” 

* * *

“Hey.” Burnet peeks her head around the door. “May I come in?”

Ash, who had been texting an overprotective Serena for the past ten minutes, is eager for another distraction and brightens significantly when he sees the professor. “Hey, yeah, ‘course.” 

She smiles and sits down on the edge of the bed, next to where he was dangling one foot off out of boredom. “How was your day?” 

She and Kukui had been gone all day, deciding to give Ash some privacy with his friends as he got more and more independent; Kukui’s pokemon had to be taken care of, Burnet had to go to Aether to pick up paperwork, et cetera, et cetera. Kukui couldn’t even return with Burnet; the League was in shambles, inundated with press requests that would tie him down until tomorrow morning. 

It hurt both Burnet and Kukui to leave, but Ash seems to be improving rapidly. He looks better every day; his cheeks are nice and rosy and not as sallow as before. His toes and lips aren’t blue anymore—that’s a win. And his smile just keeps getting wider…maybe that was the best thing that Burnet had seen so far.

“It was really good!” Ash grins and points at his cast. “Look! Everyone doodled!”

“Ooh, let me see…” Burnet giggles, examining the doodles and drawings. Some were more elaborate than others—there was a large rose where his kneecap would be, and something tells Burnet that Lillie definitely drew it. On the other hand, there were several rocket-ship-looking-things which were definitely dicks at some point. Something tells Burnet that Lana definitely drew those.

“Pika-pi-ka!” Pikachu points out a Pokeball, sloppily outlined in black sharpie and looking more…elliptical than round. But a heart was drawn around it, and six letters were scribbled out:  _ P I K A P I _ .

Burnet smiles, feeling a warmth in her chest. “Did you draw that, Pikachu?” 

“Pi!” He nods and puffs out his chest. 

“That’s so sweet!” She scratches his chin lightly in praise. “Did you get dinner, both of you?”

Ash nods and takes over petting Pikachu. “Mm-hmm. I…might have eaten half a bag of Doritos and half a box of cookies. Plus, Brock and Misty came again, dropped off more food. Apparently there are some leftovers in the fridge in the nurses’ station if you want some.” 

“I might have to have some. Brock’s cooking is  _ really _ good, you weren’t kidding.” Burnet and Kukui’s appetites were back along with Ash’s, so progress is being made there. “And PT? How was that?”

He sighs. “Rough. I’m tired. But Kap says I’m getting better with my crutches! And I showered by myself, so that’s a win!” He beams brightly once more, shaking his shaggy, still-damp hair and pulling the blanket closer towards him.

“That’s great then!” She smiles and holds a hand over Ash’s frigid toes, popping out of the cast like digletts. “I’m so happy you’re feeling better, Ash, really.”

Ash grins toothily at her and grabs Rowlet from where he was precariously perched on his nightstand, bringing him into a cuddle. “Thanks! Me too!” His face falls slightly, though. “I just wish I could get outta here, though.”

“Oh, me too, sweetheart.” Once his toes feel sufficiently warm, she moves on to massaging his uninjured calf; it was tighter than hell, no doubt from whatever PT Kapono was putting him through. 

He frowns gently. “Can I pout for a second?”

“Can you—of course you can pout, honey, you deserve it.” She chuckles in a sad manner…how many times has he had to shut down pouting for whatever reason? The kid grew up too fast, Burnet knows that. “Do you want to vent to me?"

He shrugs. “Maybe?”

“Then go for it.” 

He pauses, thinking. “Well, it’s just that I’m finally kinda feeling like it’s not my fault, y’know?”

She softens—now that was  _ real _ progress. “That’s wonderful, Ash.”

“But, y’know, I still feel like I gotta…I gotta…hm, words are hard.” He knits his eyebrows together. “That I gotta…be a man, y’know?”

“That you have to be strong? Pretend like things are okay?” Burnet explores.

“Mmhm, yeah.” He cocks his head. “Kap said I shouldn’t do that, but I feel like I can’t be sad  _ all _ the time, right? I gotta be positive! And I gotta be strong! ‘Cos no one wants to see me be…not-strong. What’s that word? Weak.” 

“Ash…Ash, listen close.” Burnet scoots a little further up on the bed, meeting his gaze and massaging his quads simultaneously. “It’s great to feel good. But it’s not okay to feel bad and pretend that you feel good. It’s true that we’re all happy when you’re feeling better, but when you’re only pretending, that puts your health in danger.” 

His eyes squint together as he processes what she’s saying.

“You don’t have to put up a front with anyone here, Ash. I know when you post on your Champion twitter you want to look and act strong, right? You feel an obligation to be strong, correct?”

He nods. He had staged his _ I’m-doing-fine-and-thank-you-for-your-thoughts-and-prayers _ picture for hours, trying to figure out which picture he looked the least  _ hurt _ in.

She shakes her head. “You can’t do that here. Ash, no one is relying on you being strong here. We all want you to get better, but we don’t want or need you to fake it. There’s a difference between having a positive attitude and faking your way through recovery. The former is helpful and the latter is not. Does that make sense?” 

He narrows his eyes. “…So I can still be positive.”

“Yes, that’s awesome. You’re a little ball of sunshine, and we all love you for it.” She giggles with him and pinches his cheek playfully. “You just have to figure out the difference between…seeing a bright side, and covering up a real problem.”

He shrugs. “…Okay.”

“Okay, good. Love you, sweetheart.” She brushes away a lock of damp hair from his forehead. “What else is on your mind?"

“Well, um. I still wanna leave this place. And also, Mrs. Torres texted me and she said she would drop off my homework if I wanted to do it, and I’m gonna fail her  _ Gureto Gyatsubi  _ test. I haven’t even  _ read _ the book!”

“Ooh, Great Gatsby. I remember reading that in high school. I hated it, personally, but lots of people enjoy it.” She chortles—God, she hated literature class. “But it seems like a solution here would be to ask her for an extension and read it during these next couple days. You have the time, if you wanted to do it.”

Ash winces. “Y’see, that’s what I planned, but every time I sit down to read it, the words all blur together and my head starts to hurt. And that’s not an excuse—like, I dunno, it’s weird, I can’t read more than a few words before I have to put it down.” 

“Oh, the concussion, duh! God, I can’t believe I forgot! I’m so sorry. Yeah, Dr. Santos said a while ago that reading might be hard with your concussion.” Burnet gives her best sympathetic frown. 

“Oh. That makes sense, I guess.” He knits his eyebrows together. “But I still need to read it, even if she’ll give me an extension. I just  _ have _ to.”

“Hmm, I know that feeling,” Burnet hums. “Well, what would you think of this? What if I read it to you?”

Ash’s eyes go wide. “You’d do that for me?” 

“Of course, it’d be my pleasure.” She smiles and kisses his hand. “It’s not necessarily…bedtime story material, but I’d love to.”

“Okay!” Ash grins—he found a solution.

“As for your other problem…” Burnet thinks for a second, trailing off.

Ash cocks his head. “Hm? Other problem?”

“You wanting to leave.”

His eyes flash in recognition. “Oh, yeah, that. I realize there’s probably nothing I can do about that. Kiawe taught me this thing that he used to do, like, when he was afraid of flying, where if I take thirty seconds to feel comfortable right where I am, then I get distracted and feel better!” he proclaims, matter-of-fact.

“Huh. I guess you could do that.”  _ But that’s literally denial and what I’m trying to teach him not to do. _ “I was gonna suggest that I could ask if we could go outside to that balcony.” She gestures to the locked glass door, overlooking the glittering lights and swaying palms of Hau’oli at dusk. “I know Kapono had locked it because he didn’t think you were ambulating well enough, but I think if someone’s with you then it’s probably fine. What do you think of that?”

“Wait, really!? Outside!?” Ash grins—wider than she had ever seen him grin.

Rowlet coos and peeks an eye open at that word, shifting gently in Ash’s arms.

Burnet giggles and pats Rowlet’s soft feathers.“Well, let me go ask, hold your Horsea for a moment.” She gets up from her seat and heads back out the door, leaving Ash to converse excitedly with his pokemon.

“Ay, Kapono,” she calls towards the nurses’ station.

Kapono peeks his head out from the counter, black curls bouncing. “Hey, what’s up? Did Ash break another pair of crutches? I swear to God, that kid has  _ unholy _ strength.”

She stops walking. “Um, no? I’m gonna disregard that comment because it scares me. I was gonna ask if Ash and I could go out to the balcony.”

He raises a questioning eyebrow. “Will you be with him the whole time? He won’t do anything stupid?” 

“Yes, of course,” she pleads. “He’s desperate for fresh air.”

“I bet he is. But knowing him, if you leave him alone, he’ll probably start hanging off the guardrail like a fucking Aipom.” He chuckles but is clearly very serious. “Look, I’m joking about that part, but Ash is at a  _ super _ high fall risk. If he got up for whatever reason and fell now, all of our progress would go down the drain. So if he goes onto the balcony, he needs to have a responsible adult supervising and he needs to use his wheelchair the whole time.”

She groans. “I bet he’ll be thrilled about that.” 

He brandishes a keyring. “That’s actually the hospital’s guidelines, not mine, but I still endorse that. The wheelchair is easier and safer, even though it’s…belittling, restrictive, pity-inducing, whatever you wanna call it.”

“I get that. He will stay in the chair at all times during my supervision. Scout’s honor.” She holds up three fingers.

Kapono grins. “I was a Boy Scout, back when I was convinced being a Boy Scout would make me straight.” 

Burnet laughs and throws an arm around her husband’s pseudo-brother. “Of course you were.” 

Kapono pushes Ash’s door open and dangles the keys. “Brah! I am setting you free!” 

“WOO!” Ash and his pokemon cheer as Kap unlocks the sliding glass door.

Kapono hisses gently as he pushes Ash’s wheelchair from the corner out—taped to the back was a piece of printer paper with a Porsche logo on it; that always made Burnet laugh. “Well, there’s a catch in that you have to use this fucker. But otherwise I am setting you free!” 

“Aw.” Ash’s face falls ever-so-slightly. 

“C’mon, cousin, we got jail to break!” Kapono guides him as he sits at the edge of the bed, then scoots his good leg out. 

“Ughhhhh, I  _ hate _ this…” he whines. “I can get up by myself!” His eyes flit to Burnet, cheeks rosy and flushed.

_ Wait, is he embarrassed because I’m watching? _

“I know, kiddo, but it has to be done, that leg’s been worked too hard by me today to be functional. One, two, three, up!” Kapono lifts him gently, providing extra support to his good leg, and letting him hop gingerly to the waiting chair. “And one, two, three, down.” Ash sinks into the chair, panting and conspicuously gripping his side. He throws a grin to Burnet and removes his hand from his side as quickly as it shot up.

Burnet’s heart  _ aches _ for him. 

Kapono kneels down and sets up the leg rest. “Now, don’t you get up out of here without me, okay? Remember the mantra. No falls.”

Ash nods. “No falls.”

“Good, then, we’re all on the same page. I’m gonna leave you to your professor mom. Have fun, dude, call me if you need anything.” 

Kapono jets out, leaving Burnet and Ash blushing. They meet eye contact suddenly, and burst into giggles.

“Okay, sweetheart. Let’s do this.” She slides the door open and pushes Ash’s wheelchair past the threshold gently.

“Burnet-hakase…” he murmurs, breathing in the salty breeze for the first time in days with eyes as wide as saucers. “It’s so  _ beautiful _ .” 

And it was—the hospital really  _ has _ given him the best room. The balcony is on the eighteenth floor, overlooking all of downtown and the south side of the beach. There are palms for miles and miles, and off where the sea meets the sky, the sun is just finishing his descent and a crescent moon is taking his place.

Burnet leans down and kisses her not-son on the cheek as gingerly as she can. “C’mon, love, let’s read some Gatsby.”

As Ash’s pokemon all file out onto the balcony, Burnet retrieves the slim blue paperback. She settles into the plastic lawn chair left outside and opens up to the first page.

She takes a deep breath and smiles when she sees five pokemon and one boy listening expectantly.

_ “In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since.  _ _ ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had…’" _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **100kr intensifies***
> 
> and also ahahah i LOVE GATSBY BRO F SCOTT FITZGERALD ALL THE WAY
> 
> hope everyone is safe as you read this. i love you all very much.


	10. blast-off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> crime™ and wii sports is the name of the game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you sO MUCH sugarblossom for your beta <3 <3
> 
> and, thank you SO MUCH SAPPH for your support always
> 
> AND. thank you so much to everyone in the server with their looker help! here's to you!

Two knocks rap behind the thick wood door and Kapono sticks his head around the frame. “Goooooodmorning!” 

Ash peeks one eye open, meets Kap’s eyes, and then rolls over awkwardly away from him, as if expecting someone else. He cuddles Pikachu closer and shuts his eyes. “Mor’n’,” he mumbles, voice thick with sleep. He points to Burnet on the corner sofa, still dead to the world, and signals for Kapono to be quiet.

Kapono lowers his voice to a whisper and pushes the med cart into the room, wincing when that one wheel squeaks. “Sorry! Morning meds.” 

“Hrmf…” Ash grunts as he sits up, taking at least three fuzzy blankets along with him, and squints at his phone’s lock screen clock. Eight o’clock sharp.

“Did you stay up late last night?” Kapono continues to whisper.

“I guess. We got to chapter four of _Gyatsubi_ roun’ midnight and then I watched some Le Monde replays, but Professor Burnet stayed up a lot later after I fell asleep, I think.” Ash yawns widely, then his face falls to a slight pout. “Do you know if Professor Kukui’s here yet?”

Kukui pops his head in before Kapono can open his mouth. “Hey, keiki, I’m sorry I couldn’t make it in last night, the League’s a mess.” He lowers his voice to a whisper as well when he sees his wife still passed out. “How’re you feeling?”

Ash _visibly_ relaxes at Kukui’s presence and smiles when Kukui finger-combs the top of his bedhead. “Hi. Good. Lil’ tired.” 

“Yeah?” Kukui eyes Kapono, seeing he was about to change his peripheral IV, then starts talking faster in an attempt to distract Ash. “I think you can sleep a bit more before we start the day.”

“What’re we doing today?” Ash glances at the needle, brow furrowing gently.

Kukui puts a hand on his uninjured knee. “PT at ten, then Nanu is coming around noon and will probably be here until the evening.” 

“Is he coming as Kahuna Nanu or as Officer Nanu?” Ash gives a small wince when the new catheter pricks his vein.

“Officer. He wants to ask you a few questions.” Kukui’s eyes soften when the heart monitor gives away Ash’s anxiety. “I can push it off for a couple days—”

“No, no, it’s fine. I can do it.” Ash accepts the dixie cup of pills that Kap passes him and he throws it back, chasing it with another dixie cup of water. “It needs to happen.” 

“Okay, if you feel comfortable.” Kukui runs his fingers over Ash’s shoulder, pulling up the muscle tank that was hanging off his frame...he had lost weight in these past few days. He’s been eating well, but the stress of all of this was just too much for his body to keep up. 

Ash lets out a cleansing sigh and smiles. “What else is going on today?”

Kapono answers that question. “Kukui has PT, too!” 

Kukui glares at him with dread, contempt, and exasperation while Ash just giggles, bonking his head against Kukui’s chest.

Kukui catches his head and fluffs his hair, but remains frowning. “Why _me_?” Kukui huffs. 

“You were scheduled anyway today. You’re on my roster at seven.” Kapono holds up the laminated sheet. “You have a cage match in two days, you _know_ you should get in the gym.”

“Ooh! Cage match!” Ash grins in excitement. “Who’s it against?”

Kukui blinks. “Um...to be honest, I kinda forgot it was happening. I have no idea who it’s against. Kap?” 

Kapono sighs. “Rampage.” 

Kukui’s face falls. “Shit.”

“Wait, who’s Rampage? And why ‘shit?’” Ash questions, his smile falling.

“He’s a new guy, an import from the UFC scene in Unova.” Kukui shifts his weight and steps out of Kap’s way as he starts to change the bandages on Ash’s abdomen. “‘Shit,’ because there’s a good chance I’m going to lose the match.”

“Oh, I see.” Ash cocks his head. “Well, you have to lose _some_ matches, right? That’s part of sports!”

Kukui opens his mouth, then closes it abruptly and plasters a smile on his face. “Y’know what? You’re exactly right, keiki.” 

Ash was not right this time. Kukui—Masked Royal, whatever you wanted to call him—had to win this match. It’s the first big “fist”-match since the unmasking and he needs to win to secure his place as king of the ring. This match has been publicized for weeks now, and in Kukui’s current headspace, he will probably lose. If he loses, his spot at the top will be gone. He loses sponsors. He loses money. Kukui might not care about that, and that might not be the point of his fighting, but Kapono’s job is on the line if he loses money. Now, Kapono is lucky because his work as Royal’s physio is only a side hustle. But some members of staff rely on his popularity to put food on the table.

Kapono also doesn’t want to see his kaina go through another loss during this time—he’s going through the ringer.

Kapono bites back a comment illustrating all of this. He just grimaces while he changes the bandages and packing.

Ash’s eyes narrow. “...What? Why are you both so anxious?” 

Kapono deflects, feeling like someone just looked into his soul. “Y’know, I will never get over the fact that you can do that. What do you feed this kid? Special psychic froot loops or some shit?” 

Ash’s eyes get starry and he almost drools. “...There’s froot loops?” 

“Yes, there are froot loops. Want some? I bet you do. Be back in five.” Kukui, nervous like a marshtomp about to take a Solar Beam, runs out of the room. 

Without Kukui, they’re left in silence except for the occasional wince from Ash or bleary squeak from Pikachu. Pikachu settles to watch Kapono's hands, observing as he replaces every soiled dressing with stark-white sterile gauze and trilling when Kapono smiles at him.

“Ca-roo?” Lycanroc pads up to the bed and sniffs the biohazard tub of packing gauze, formerly stuffed between Ash’s incisions. “Ah-rooc,” he snarls quietly, then begins to whine. 

“It’s just blood, Lycanroc, it’s okay,” Ash murmurs, holding out his hand. “C’mere.”

Lycanroc puts his long muzzle in Ash’s hand, green eyes more shiny than usual—wait, were those tears? 

“I know. Good boy. I’m okay. Good boy.” Ash rubs his snout, but Lycanroc nudges his nose against his hand to flip it over and lick it.

“Rrrrr…” Incineroar, once sleeping on a bean bag in the pokemon-side of the hospital room, stretches and ambles over. Kapono watches as her nostrils flare and she immediately falls to her knees at Ash’s side. “Rror?”

“Good morning, Incineroar,” Ash greets while Incineroar takes her large paw-palms, claws carefully retracted, and puts them on the sides of Ash’s face. “I’m alright, I promise.”

“Cin-a.” She moves to knead the three fuzzy blankets on Ash’s bed, which were moved aside temporarily while Kapono changed his bandages.

“Thank you, now they’ll be warm.” Ash smiles at her as she works away, fire belt glowing as she puts warmth in her hands. He winces sharply as Kapono tightens the bandage.

Kapono apologizes, “Sorry, sorry, just gotta make sure the packing stays in place.” 

Incineroar snarls at him. Lycanroc gives a low growl, and Pikachu squeaks something—can a squeak sound snarky? 

“…Why are they…?” Kapono questions as Incineroar points to his exam gloves; they had the slightest tint of red, but that’s the nature of bandage-changing.

“You’re all so sweet, worrying about me. Thank you so much, but I’m okay.” Ash rubs Incineroar's arm, scratches Lycanroc’s fluffy ears, and strokes Pikachu’s round, yellow head. He looks to Kapono. “Y’see, these three are my pokemon with the best sense of smell. It’s the blood. Makes them anxious.” 

“Oh, I see.” Kapono looks to the trio of worried pokemon. “If it’s any consolation, Ash's incisions are healing nicely. It’s normal for there to be a little bit of blood.” He tosses his gloves into the biohazard tub and pulls Ash’s tank top down to cover the pristine white bandages, now finished. “Everything looks great.”

“Y’see? Normal!” Ash smiles and pets them all again, yawning widely. “Don’t worry!” 

“Cina-roar!” she scolds, then rearranges the blankets back on Ash’s body and tucks him in.

Ash giggles at her overprotection. “I know, I know! I’m going to sleep! C’mon, c’mere.” 

Lycanroc hops onto his usual spot—foot of the bed, head between Ash’s legs. Incineroar walks around the bed to come onto the opposite side, then scoots for Ash to lay halfway on top of her. Pikachu burrows under the blankets on Ash, turns around, sticks his ears out, and sighs contentedly. Ash’s eyes blink lazily and he sighs.

“Alright, sleep well, cousin.” Kapono was hoping that he’d be able to chitchat with his favorite patient, but when he sees his drowsiness, he starts to roll his cart outside the room. 

He hears him murmur a thanks, covered under the newly-warmed blankets, surrounded by his team. Kap shuts the thick wood door with a click and passes off the cart to a CNA.

“I got them!” Kukui jogs up next to Kapono, panting, with a small tub of froot loops in his hand. 

Kapono laughs. “He’s nearly asleep already, but I’m sure he appreciates that.”

Kukui sighs in a frustrated manner, but shrugs. “He’s doing okay?” 

Kap smiles and claps Kukui’s shoulder. “He’s doing great, right on target. I think he can be discharged in, eh, 48 hours or so.” 

“Oh, thank the Tapu.” Kukui sighs, relieved. “I hope you aren’t working him too hard in PT, though, he seems completely exhausted.” 

“His injuries are extensive. Hard work is the only way we’ll get results for him.” Kapono shrugs then grins devilishly. “Besides, I don’t work him nearly as hard as you’ll be worked tonight. You already look like hell. Take a nap or something, you’re gonna need it.” 

Kukui rolls his eyes sarcastically. “I can _hardly_ wait,” he mutters with dread but then grins lightly. He knows the workout will be good for him. “I better go in. See you at the gym.”

“Seven sharp, don’t be late or it’s burpees,” Kapono warns with a smirk as Kukui heads back into the room.

Kapono watches out of curiosity; Kukui sets the cereal container down at the bedside table and kisses Ash’s forehead. He then ventures to Burnet’s sofa, giving her a forehead kiss, too, and carefully laying to curl around her. She doesn’t even stir when he takes the position of big spoon and places his chin on her shoulder.

* * *

Looker shifts his briefcase over to his left hand and reaches out his right for a handshake. “Triple-zero, sir, I’m glad to see you again—” 

Nanu glances at his hand, then scoffs at it as if it were a middle finger. “Cut the bullshit, 100kr. I need you for a case, not for a social visit. Don’t get it twisted.” He starts heading out the door, slinging his uniform jacket over his Kevlar’d chest. “We have _real_ work to do now. Hope you haven’t gotten rusty behind your _desk_.” 

“Actually, sir, I’m not working in an administrative capacity.” Looker starts after him, holding out the door for an equally-disgruntled Deputy Zhou, who takes it with a tight nod of acknowledgment. “Since Plasma was dissolved, I’ve been undercover doing private contr—”

Nanu swings the Charger door open and slides to the driver’s side. “Private contracting, yes. Was that just an excuse to get out of the shitstorm in Kalos, or were you actually doing something legitimate?” 

“No, sir. I was trying to get information on Xerosic, but—” Looker is left outside the car when Zhou pushes forward to take shotgun. That leaves Looker allocated to the cramped, hard vinyl backseat, usually reserved for criminals. Well, that was rather fitting.

“But from what I understand, that recon mission was compromised when your…ward? Ended up working for Xerosic.” The deputy whips out a knife from her belt and begins clipping her nails as Triple-zero whips the patrol car out to the main road. 

Looker bristles; he thought the deputy was on his side. “Since it seems that you have seen my Interpol reports—which are classified, I feel I should point out—you must know how it wasn’t consensual. Emma—er, my ward—was being used by Xerosic for an experiment, and I got a red notice on him in the end.” 

She raises a thin black eyebrow. “Hm. Well, I’m so glad that notice worked and Xerosic _didn’t_ play a role in the destruction of Kalos’s capital and the death of hundreds of innocent civilians.”

Damn, she got him there. “Well, I think we all know how…effective, or not effective, as this case was, an Interpol notice is. Regardless, I was pulled back to Buenos Aires after I issued the notice and I was ordered not to continue the investigation.” Looker darts his gaze between Triple-zero and his deputy as they seem to exchange some sort of silent conversation with their eyes. “Pardon me, but why do I feel like I’m the one being interrogated here?” 

Triple-zero huffs. “I’m nearly sixty. Let me have a chip on my shoulder for once.”

“And you, Deputy?” 

Her eyes flash—a hint of sympathy? Regret? But it flashes right back to a hard, blank poker face. “I don’t fraternize with those complicit in murder.” 

Oh, no. He was worried this would happen. “…Deputy, that was nearly fifteen years ago and I was only following orders—orders, I might point out, that your Chief also followed. And, if I remember correctly, you were on the ground tech team that first detected the wormhole’s opening—”

Triple-zero actually _snarled_ . “Yes, we were in the mission. But both of us turned in our badges at the end of that day, while you stayed for your promotion and got to frolic around the world, issuing your notices and playing the hero. My _apologies_ if I’m a little rough to my former subordinate, who was too afraid to stand up for his morals.” 

Looker pushes his hair back. “Triple-zero, that was the worst day in all my years of service. But I had duties in Interpol then, and I still do. We still help people. One mission casualty can’t define the organization.” 

Looker’s former CO brakes much too hard at the stop sign and whips his neck to lock eyes with Looker. “But you know what _can_ define the organization? The fact that she was a _lure_ . They ordered you and me into the situation knowing that she would die, and for what? We killed that Guzzlord, sure, but nothing else was gained, except maybe _your promotion_.” 

“I’m not in Interpol for power, sir, I’m sorry if you feel that way.” He meets his gaze with the same ferocity. “I’m only in Interpol to help people. To help police organizations like yours take down enemies to the public.”

Triple-zero grits his teeth and lets a low growl through his teeth. 

In lieu of his response, the deputy retorts, “Here’s some free advice. Be careful where you spill those ideals here. You’ll find the people of Alola don’t like to see their Fallers killed."

* * *

“This is the most fun I’ve had in PT, ever!” Ash giggles, throwing the Wii remote from side to side and making his little mii rally the tennis ball. Pikachu cheers from his lap.

“I’m glad you’re having fun now, but just you wait!” Kapono comes in for a hit—the remote buzzes. The point ticker goes up one on Kapono’s side; 5-4, Ash, but Kapono was coming in hot. “Alright, point for me, you know the drill.”

Ash grunts gently as he pushes himself up from the sofa. “I’m still winning, though!” He collects his crutches, takes a lap around the doctor’s lounge with Pikachu trailing behind, then flops back down next to Kapono, gently panting. “Okay! Ready for more!”

Kapono chuckles and flicks the game back on. He wanted to be able to do something fun for the kid before he meets with the police in an hour, and it seemed like he was successful. The doctor’s lounge might not be the most luxurious of spaces, but it had a sofa and an eleven-year-old Wii, which Ash was enjoying immensely. 

Ash scores another point. “Yes! Your turn!” He sticks his tongue out at Kapono and points to the floor.

“Aiyaiyai, okay…” Kapono huffs, grinning softly, and does five pushups. Then he hops back up and starts the match again.

Wii Sports is not conventional PT, and if Santos knew he was doing this, she’d probably huff and frown in disapproval. It _would_ help Ash’s coordination—minimally—but it was more that this would give Kap an opportunity to talk with him. Sure, Ash has had a couple of sessions with the psych staff already, as was protocol after traumatic injuries like his, but Kap wanted him to be able to speak frankly and casually with someone that he knew a little bit better. _The_ Champion Satoshi Ketchum needs an outlet. 

Pikachu’s cheering snaps Kapono out of his inner monologue. “Pi-ka!” 

Ash makes another hit, and the screen flashes 7-4. “Yay! I win!” 

“Congratulations, sir,” Kapono says, shaking his hand and then going back to the floor for another five pushups. “Best two out of three?”

“You’re on!” 

Kapono starts the game back up but pauses before he hits start. “Ash, before we do that, I wanted to talk to you real quick.”

“Hm?” Ash cocks his head and picks Pikachu up, cradling him close to his chest and giving him an eskimo kiss.

“I just wanted to check on...how your feelings are feeling.” Kapono sets the Wii remote down and leans an elbow back on the couch, all attention on the Champion.

“Oh! They’re good! I’m happy!” Ash grins and nuzzles harder into Pikachu, making him squeal with delight.

“That’s good to hear, but I don’t mean right now. I mean, like, in general.” Kapono clears his throat. “How have you been holding up? Are the nightmares still bad?”

Ash’s smile falters for a moment. “I mean, the nightmares are always bad, but right now they’re just _different_. More vivid. I’m not sure why. I think it’s ‘cos I keep feeling sorry for myself, makes my dreams sad, too.” 

Kapono bristles. “Who said you were feeling sorry for yourself?” 

Ash shrugs. “No one, I just am. I spend all this time talking about my problems and how things hurt and how I wish things would change. But that’s not helpful. I have to stop that.” He sighs, then smiles.

Pikachu slaps him, _hard_. 

“Ash...talking about what’s bothering you isn’t feeling sorry for yourself.” Kapono high-fives Pikachu when he holds a paw out. “I know you maybe don’t like talking about your feelings usually, and here in the hospital, you have people constantly asking you how you feel. That must be really hard to adjust to, huh?” 

Ash nods. 

“And you don’t like focusing on the negatives, right?”

He nods again.

“I know Burnet talked to you about this last night, but it’s important for us to know when things aren’t right. We can’t help you if you don’t say anything.” Kapono keeps his expression soft, but Ash seems to clam up.

He murmurs quietly, “But what if I don’t need help? What if I can just deal with it on my own?”

Kapono chuckles, thinking that was sarcasm, but then abruptly stops when he realizes Ash is completely serious. “Ash, it’s not a question of you needing help right now. Just so we’re on the same page here, you _cannot_ deal with any of your physical injuries by yourself. You just can’t, it doesn’t work that way.”

Kapono almost can’t hear what he says next; he’s so quiet. “I have before.”

Oh, shit. Kapono just unpacked something.

“I’m not sure what kind of problems you’ve been through in the past, but it’s not fair to yourself to go through big...traumas like this on your own.” Kapono shakes his head. “Everyone—me, Kukui, Burnet, all your friends, all the staff here, the police, all your fans...we’re here to help you. We want to help you, but you have to _let_ us help.” 

“I _am_ letting you guys help. That’s the problem.” Ash smiles, though Kapono can feel the raw _pain_ behind his eyes. “I know that’s a good thing, but I just...I just...I just _can’t_ , not without feeling guilty.”

“Cousin…” Kapono sighs. “I can’t pretend to know how that feels. And I know that just saying this isn’t helpful. But...even if it’s just this one time in your life...I want you to know that you aren’t at fault here. And it’s not your fault if you feel that way; something must have happened to make you feel that way. But you’re the best kid I know. And you deserve better than to beat yourself up.”

Ash’s eyebrows tilt up in question. “W-what makes you say that?” 

Kapono smiles. “Y’see, I know this guy.”

Ash just looks at him, eyes full of questions.

“You came into his life three years ago.” 

Recognition flashes over his face.

“He’s changed so much since. For the better.” Kapono grins, thinking about the transformation of Kukui from bachelor drunk to croc-wearing, croquette-making husband and father—well, not father, but dad. “He loves you, you know that?”

Ash swallows, nodding, and Pikachu trills. 

“Good, ‘cos if you ever feel like you don’t deserve the world, or aren’t enough for whatever reason, just ask him. He’ll tell you the truth.”

Ash thumbs his cast; there was a new, wide design all over his thigh in the shape of a Polynesian-style tattoo. It looks exactly like something Kukui would do. Kapono could recognize all the symbols in the traditional designs; turtles for peace, health, and family, stones for achievement, spearheads for fighting spirit...it looked badass. Ash traces the swooping sharpie lines, a hint of a smile on his lips.

Kapono sighs and grasps Ash’s hand for a moment. “So, cousin, you ready for another round?” 

Ash brightens, then smirks. “You’re goin’ down!”

* * *

Honestly, Nanu should stop being surprised about Ash. But being friends with _Interpol_ officers? That’s a new one.

“Looker!” Ash exclaims. He had been laying on his bed looking exhausted when they walked in, but when Looker enters the room, Ash sets down a froot loops cup clutched in his hands and leans forward to sit up. He bows his head forward with respect.

“Satoshi, I’m glad to see you.” The man shakes his hand and smiles. “I’m sorry we always meet under unfortunate circumstances.”

Ash questions, “I’m glad to see you, too, but...?”

“Hey, kid, how are you?” Nanu huffs and pushes to stand in front of Looker. “I see you...already know Agent 100kr. He’s assisting us in the investigation.” Nanu gestures to his partner. “This is Deputy Chief Zhou, she’s also working on this investigation.”

“Hi! I’m Ash!” Ash beams and extends his hand.

She smiles gently, chuckling, “I know.” She shakes his outstretched hand, then her hand puts goes straight back to her hip

Ash glances to Looker. “Well, um, Looker, if you’re helping with the investigation, does that mean that...Ginga-dan, or Plasma-dan…” 

Looker smiles gently. “That’s what we’re trying to find out.” 

He takes a seat at Ash’s bedside; Kukui and Burnet get up from their usual seats to give them to Nanu and Zhou.

“Sir, please stay, we have questions for you as well.” She nods to Burnet. “Ma’am, you may stay if you like, but know that no information disclosed here can be shared.”

“Of course,” Burnet confirms. When Ash pats his bed invitingly, Burnet and Kukui sit down, the former holding his hand and the latter squeezing his shoulder.

Nanu pulls out the recorder from his pocket and flicks it on. “Let’s get started, shall we? First, let’s go over what we have so far.”

“Okay.” Ash bites his lip. 

Nanu sighs and folds his hands under his chin. “We have significant reason to believe that this was an attempted murder, not manslaughter.”

Ash nods; it seems he already knew that. “Was it...y’know...one of the teams?”

Zhou, pen in hand, probes, “Do you have any reason to believe that it was?” 

“I mean, I haven’t heard from any of them since Looker arrested them.” Ash’s eyes widen. “But, y’know, I wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted me dead, considering.” 

Kukui and Burnet look at each other in horror—yikes, they didn’t know? Nanu should have kept them outside.

“Have you been experiencing any suspicious activity?” Nanu asks.

Ash shakes his head. “...I don’t think so, but what counts as suspicious activity?” 

Zhou explains further, “Like, any threats or notes? Or being followed?”

“Yeah, no.” 

“What about you, Professor? Anything?” Nanu asks the flabbergasted man.

Kukui flinches. “N-no, not that I’m aware of.” 

The bed starts to vibrate—Ash’s phone rings, with _Soph_ on the contact line.

“You take that, Satoshi, I need to have a word with the Officers.” Looker glares at them. He gets up, and they follow.

Once Nanu shuts the door behind them, he growls, “I’m so glad you’re having a ball running this investigation. What’s on your mind?”

Looker takes a more aggressive stance, saying, “You’re just beating a dead horse asking him about Galactic, sir. You need to leave here and find more evidence before you ask Satoshi anything more. He’s not going to give you anything because he knows nothing.”

“Why don’t we let _Ash_ talk, not you, hm? And don’t talk to me about lack of evidence, you were the one who pushed us into coming to see him this early.” Nanu rolls his eyes. “C’mon, Zhou, we’ll continue _investigating_.”

Looker steps in front of them. “You asked for my help, sir, and I am trying to give it to you.”

“Noted.” Nanu pushes ahead and opens the door.

“...I’m actually with them right now,” Ash speaks into his phone while eyeing them come in. “Kahuna Nanu, Sophocles just told me something really strange.”

“Such as?” Nanu raises an eyebrow. He doesn’t like Molayne’s cousin very much.

“He says...he says someone hacked into my phone.” 

Nanu lets a curse escape his lips and takes the phone. “Sophocles. What’s going on?”

His annoying, high-pitched voice comes through the line. _“Kahuna Nanu! I, uh, yeah, someone hacked into Ash’s phone!”_

“What makes you say that, kid?”

_“Well, uh, y’see...I had hacked into Ash’s phone the night of the crash to try and find out where he was, and my computer saved a bunch of data from his phone. Er, I did, but it doesn’t matter. I was having a bot comb through the data, and I saw someone had tampered with his text messages and location services way before I did.”_

“...Kid, that’s messed up, but for now we’re gonna put that aside. Could you figure out where the person hacked it from?” 

_“I got their IP address. Want it now?”_

“Yes.” 

_“174.140.34.85.”_

Nanu jots down the numbers and passes them over to Zhou. 

_“Kahuna, what does this mean—”_

Nanu grips the phone in his hands. “Listen, Sophocles. Do not tell _anyone_ about this. Go to Ula’Ula station and hand over that computer ASAP.” 

_“But—”_

“No buts, kid. Ash’s safety is on the line here.” 

_“Y-yes, sir.”_

“Alright.” Nanu hangs up the phone and passes it to Ash in silence, rage boiling inside of him.

“Kahuna, what does this mean?” Kukui asks, expression hard and lined with stress and worry. He has an arm over Ash’s lap, taking a protective stance.

Nanu remains silent in thought, index fingers massaging his temples.

Zhou clears her throat and says, “This is not the first incidence of hacking with our criminal. I can analyze what data Sophocles has, but if he’s right when he says Ash’s location and messages were tampered with, Ash could have been watched and stalked for weeks.” 

“And that’s further evidence of premeditation.” Nanu clenches his fists, but collects himself and makes direct eye contact with Ash. “For now, I’m going to assign more officers to you and the Professors. Lay low, kid, we’ll take care of this.” Nanu picks up the recorder from the table—so much for questioning—and motions to move out.

Looker moves to follow, but then turns around and grasps Ash’s shoulder. “Satoshi, we’re going to do everything in our power to keep you safe and figure out who’s behind this. Don’t hesitate to call me.” 

Ash’s strained expression softens for a split second and he smiles hesitantly, bowing his head forward again. “Arigato gozaimasu.”

Looker squeezes his shoulder again and nods to Kukui and Burnet.

Nanu didn’t want to admit it, but seeing Ash look at 100kr with complete trust and admiration?

It only made his rage burn hotter.

* * *

  
  


“One, two!” Kap drills over the loud rap music in the gym. “Faster!” 

Kukui roars, popping his fists against the target pads on Kap’s hands. 

“Harder!”

“I’m fucking _going_!”

Kap backs up and raises his mitts higher. “You won’t beat anyone with that! Cover your left side!” 

“It’s _covered_!” Kukui screams, fists slamming, but he raises his left elbow. Good.

Kapono glances at the clock; they’ve been at it for nearly an hour, it’s beyond time to switch. He throws off the mitts. “Better. Now, condition! Claps!”

“God _damn_ , you sadist!” Kukui walks himself out to the ground on his hands and starts clap pushups. Clap, push. Clap, push.

Kapono slams a fist on his back during the descent, testing his upper body’s stability, but he stays straight as a board. “Keep going! Faster! Rampage can do it better!” 

“Rampage can suck my _dick_ !” Kukui pushes down further and claps higher. “I’m stronger! I _am_ stronger!” He pushes down low, then springs his upper body up high—clap, clap, clap. Kapono can almost feel the raw power and anger radiating off of him.

“ _There’s_ the attitude. Who rules the ring!?” 

“ _I DO!_ ” Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap. “ _I. Do.”_ Clap, clap, clap, clap—fifteen. 

“Good!” Kapono nods, satisfied. They’ll be back for another circuit after more combat training. “Up!”

Kukui takes one long breath and snaps up to standing, falling into the routine. He jogs to the punching bag and takes position, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet as he waits for the command.

“One, two, three!”

He throws a jab, a hook, a jab.

“Again!”

Jab, hook, jab. The bag swings, rattling the chain, and drops of sweat pour down Kukui’s bare chest. 

“Harder!”

Jab, hook, jab. Kukui hits the bag so hard it nearly swings over and topples Kapono.

Kapono keeps egging him on. “I _know_ you can fight harder than that! Give Ash something strong to protect him!”

Now, that’s not the first time Kap has used that line—Ash-centered motivation was a common thread in Kukui’s training and has been for a while; his papa-ursaring side fuels punches well...but that must not have been the best comment to make, because Kukui goes completely motionless after he says it.

After a few seconds of complete stillness, he roars and jumps onto the bag, pummeling it and beating it to a pulp. Kapono leaps out of the way while Kukui continues to attack, grunting and screaming curses as his arms fly. 

“Woah, Kukui, calm down!” Kapono pushes in and grasps the bag, signaling for him to stop; he’s going to throw his elbow out when he delivers sloppy punches with bad technique.

Kukui glances at him, then keeps punching wildly.

“Kukui! _Stop!_ ” Kapono, forced to step away from the bag to prevent being hit, tries to pull him back by the shoulder. Kukui shrugs him off.

Then the bag flies off the chain as Kukui lands a hard hook. It thunks against the wall, kicking up chalk and dust. 

Kukui just stares at it, chest heaving and fists clenched. Sweat—no, not sweat, those are tears...Tears run down his face, and his expression is twisted up in an angry grimace.

Kapono approaches slowly and places his hands gently on Kukui’s shoulders. He flinches hard—he’s still on the attack.

“Easy, kua’ana, easy.” Kapono doesn’t let go; he steers him away from the bag and to the weight bench, sitting him down and letting him decompress. Kapono grabs Kukui’s water bottle, squeezing a little bit down the back of Kukui’s neck and then passing it to him. He sips at it gently, hand shaking.

Kukui takes the bottle off of his lips and runs a hand over his sweaty locks, falling out of his tight bun. “I-I, uh, I dunno what got into me, I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay. I provoked you, it’s my fault.” Kapono can’t help himself; he giggles quietly and gestures to the flopped-over punching bag. “He doesn’t mind.”

“I…” Kukui stammers, wide-eyed as he tries to hold back dwindling sobs. “I lost control. ‘S bad.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay to lose control here, that was what this workout was for. Go and hit the showers, I’ll give you a massage when you come back.” Kapono pushes himself to stand up and extends an arm out to Kukui.

Kukui takes the hand, then falls into Kapono, hugging him with all two-hundred-some-odd pounds of his body.

“Hey, hey, get your sweaty meat off of me,” Kapono chuckles but hugs him back with ferocity.

Kukui rests his chin on Kapono’s shoulder. “S’rry, today was jus’ really hard.”

“I bet it was. Tell me all about it, _after_ your shower.” 

* * *

  
  


Zhou clicks a bit more on her computer, then her eyes widen. “Oh my God, you _have_ to be joking!”

Nanu leans over from where he was searching through his classified filing cabinet. “What? What did you find?”

“It’s what I _didn’t_ find. I was opening the last file to try and check the location of that IP, but the whole network just crashed again.” She rubs at her bloodshot eyes; she’s been working for hours, and now it’s all gone to waste.

“Shit!” Nanu growls. “Lawrence! Don’t go home yet! The network’s down again!”

The poor IT officer, overworked yesterday when the net went down, nearly drops his coffee running from the door back to his desk. He looks like he might cry.

Zhou might cry. All this work is for nothing if the criminal keeps spotting them. Thank God Daveed’s with his parents in San Francisco, otherwise he’d probably be dead by now. 

...He might be dead right now.

Zhou pats down her vest, securing her old Interpol burner phone and typing in her fiance’s number. The line beeps as it goes through a secure channel.

_“Rachel? Why are you calling me from--”_

“I was just making sure you’re okay, Daveed.” She pauses. “...Everything’s okay, right?”

_“Yeah, everything’s fine, love, why?”_

“I can’t tell you. Just...be safe. Stay with your parents for longer, please. And if this number tries to call you again, _don’t pick up_. I love you.” 

She hangs up, knowing that she couldn’t stay on that line for long, and snaps the flip phone at its hinges. The screen flickers out and she dumps the burner in the trash can under her desk.

Zhou sighs, seeing Nanu frowning at her. “Sorry, Chief, I just had to—” 

“No, I’m not frowning at you, sorry, I’m just thinking about shooting our man in the neck,” he growls. “100kr, please tell me you can still access Interpol right now.”

“Already on it, sir.” Looker pulls out his own burner—a Blackberry, nicer than Zhou’s, why that made her angry, she didn’t know—and starts reading off of it. “Galactic and Plasma are both confirmed down. There’s been no activity from them or their associates or contacts since their arrests.” 

Zhou pulls out her own regular phone; the cellular data was still working, good. She opens Twitter to check her signal strength.

Looker peeks over her shoulder. “Isn’t that the man who runs the crime ring in Alola?”

Nanu cocks his head. “Viren? It’s financial crime only, don’t get any ideas, 100kr.” 

She glances at her screen absentmindedly. “That’s him though.” She makes a double-take; why was he trending?

“Seems he’s got something in the works.” Looker glances again at it. 

Nanu huffs. “What did he do?” 

Zhou reads the blurb out. “Tax evasion…five billion dollars, holy shit. Looks like his offshore account got leaked.” 

“Wow.” Nanu grins darkly. “Bastard’ll finally go to jail.” Zhou chuckles along with him. Viren is Alola’s most hated man. 

Looker’s face stays hard and concerned. “Who leaked the information?”

Zhou squints at her phone. “It doesn’t say.”

Nanu shrugs. “Probably someone from within his group. Why’re you worried about that? Interpol hasn’t ever investigated them.” 

Looker shakes his head. “That’s not true. Interpol’s been keeping an eye on them recently because Viren’s ring is a known enemy of Team Rocket.” 

Nanu’s scowl slackens. “That’s...actually believable. Viren controls the funds out here, I can see why Giovanni would want him out. But they haven’t been looking to dismantle them recently.” 

Looker narrows his eyes. “What makes you say that?”

“Chief’s intel,” Nanu lies. It was clear that Looker knew otherwise, just like Zhou does; Nanu’s still in contact with Giovanni, he always has been. “But my source is reliable.”

“But to break down enemies, TR’s biggest MO, aside from assasination, is leaking illegal activity.” Looker thumbs his chin. “Assuming it was TR who leaked it, why would they strike now?” 

Zhou snaps her head up. “...100kr. When TR leaks something, it always ends up being in conjunction with their own criminal activity.” 

Looker nods. “For diversion from the media, yes...” His eyes go wide as he realizes what Zhou meant.

Nanu skin goes stark-white. “Team Rocket. It’s _Team Rocket._ ”

* * *

  
  


Kukui hears Burnet’s honeyed voice from out in the hallway; she was reading with Ash again.

“...‘I think he half expected her to wander into one of his parties, some night,’ went on Jordan, ‘but she never did. Then he began asking people casually if they knew her, and I was the first one he found. It was that night he sent for me at his dance, and you should have heard the elaborate way he worked up to it…” 

Kukui knocks his knuckle against the frame gently, signaling his arrival.

Ash, who had been enraptured by Burnet, looks up. “Oh, hi, Professor.” He doesn’t greet him with nearly the amount of cheer he usually gives.

“Hey, keiki.” He pads in, hands in the pockets of his Royal warm-up jacket (that he can finally wear around in public). He sits down next to Burnet and kisses her cheek when she sticks it out. 

“How was the gym?” Ash asks, making conversation, though he still seems awfully anxious. 

“It was...good.” Kukui settles for that. “It was good to let off some steam.” And it was; Kapono was right, he _had_ to blow up at some point. This whole week has been awful, and today was just the cherry on top. Finding out your kid’s being stalked and it definitely _was_ an attempted murder, and Kukui was completely oblivious? Yeah, that’s _great_ for Kukui’s mental health.

“I thought today was gonna be fun. It started off fun. And reading with Burnet-hakase is fun.” Ash sighs. “But today was not fun for you guys. I’m sorry.”

Kukui could tell Ash didn’t necessarily mean _fun_ when he said that; it was his way of expressing his frustration over all of the shitstorm of today.

Burnet takes Ash’s hand and leans her head against Kukui’s shoulder. “This, too, shall pass,” she murmurs. She liked that phrase; she is a person with ideals and strong beliefs, and that adage is something she lives by because she knows a higher power of some sort is holding out for her. Though neither Kukui nor Ash are as religious as Burnet, it was still a nice sentiment. If Burnet believed it, Ash believed it, so Kukui could believe it.

“Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. You got a delivery, Ash, it’s in the nurses’ station. Let me go get it.” Kukui forces his sore muscles off the inviting couch and heads back out the door, retrieving the package and heading right back. He passes the pink box, emblazoned with _Bewear Brand Honey Malasadas_ , to Ash, who opens it, immediately filling the room with the smell of the pastries.

“Yay!” Ash exclaims, his mood immediately brightened. He stuffs two in his mouth simultaneously.

“Horuoo!” Rowlet, who had been perched on Burnet’s lap while she read, flies up to grab two; one he passes back to Burnet, and one he swallows whole. 

Kukui cocks his head. “Who sent them?”

“Pi-pikachu... ” Pikachu sniffs the malasadas, glances at the note taped to the top, and frowns.

Ash pulls out the note and stares at it. “It’s, uh, from some friends of mine in Kanto.” He stares another thirty seconds at the note. “Ugh, it’s all blended together, can’t read it.”

“Want me to read it?” Kukui offers—it was in Kantonian. He could probably do it.

A flash of...something passes over his face, but he passes it over to Kukui. “Okay.” 

Kukui stares at it for several seconds, translating in his own head. It was kind of rude.

“What does it say?” Burnet prompts him. Kukui must have been staring at it for a while.

“It says, um, ‘Hello...jari-boy?’” Kukui pauses for a second—he didn't know that word.

Ash grins. “It’s a nickname, don’t worry about it.”

“Okay, um, yeah. ‘Hello, jari-boy, we heard that you can’t drive a car very well. Here are some malasadas. Enjoy. P.S. Sakaki-sama says that we can’t see you for a while, so don’t worry about that. Love, Musashi, Kojiro, and Meowth.’” 

“Pi-pikachu...Pikapi, pika-pika, pikapikapika…” Pikachu rambles to Ash as soon as Kukui finishes.

“Shh, Pikachu, it’s fine. It was really nice of them to give us some malasadas, yeah? Just enjoy them.” Ash shrugs, popping another one in his mouth. 

“Now, I don’t know your friends, but that wasn’t a very nice note.” Burnet frowns, staring at the characters she couldn’t read with contempt.

Ash shrugs again. “That’s just how they are.” He chews and changes the subject. “These malasadas are really, really good, wow.” 

“Pika! Pikapi.” Pikachu waves his furry yellow paws in front of Ash again.

“Pikachu. Don’t worry about that, that just means they’re lazy. Sakaki doesn’t ever actually talk to them.” Ash pets him, rubbing his cheeks and making him turn to jelly.

“Who’s Sakaki?” Kukui asks in curiosity.

“One of their friends...er, they aren’t friends, it’s more like Sakaki is their boss. But, yeah.” 

“Oh.” Kukui sometimes had to just settle for the fact that Ash was an enigma whose past could never be understood. 

“Yeah, anyway...Burnet-hakase, can you read some more?” Ash suggests, smiling widely with malasada in his teeth.

“Yes, love.” Burnet clears her throat and opens up the slim blue paperback again. “‘Of course, I immediately suggested a luncheon…’”

Burnet continues on in her soothing voice, making Ash’s heart monitor slow and making Kukui relax, too.

They’re gonna figure this out someway, somehow. Ash’s past might be crazy, people might want to kill him, but Kukui was gonna figure out how to be strong—strong for Ash, strong for Burnet, strong for himself. 

This, too, shall pass.

Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp!
> 
> (hope everyone is safe, love you)


	11. knockout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> everything goes to shit but make it fluff™
> 
> (also i had to repost because italics and bolds didnt format i am SO sorry if you read the old one)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yikes yikes yikes this was 39 pages in google docs i am so sorry please enjoy

“Are you  _ kidding _ me?” Ash’s head spins as he yells.

Kapono winces at the volume. “No, Ash. I’m sorry.”

“I have to stay here another  _ three days!? _ It’s already been a week! I feel fine now!” He scoffs in disbelief. “Didn’t you say that I could be gone  _ today _ before?”

“I did, but that was before you landed yourself in the ICU.” 

“Incineroar caught me when I fell!”

“You still hit your head on the floor! You  _ already _ had a concussion to begin with, you could have gotten a subdural hematoma and  _ died! _ Thank God your brain checked out okay, now your blood pressure’s absolute shit. I swear to God, Ash, you shouldn’t even be  _ conscious _ with these vitals. ” 

Ash grits his teeth, about to retort back to describe his fine-ness, but he stops abruptly when it makes his temples explode in pain. Instead, he lays his head back gently on the pillows and closes his eyes.

He was just trying to be independent.

He didn’t mean to pass out while half-walking, half-hopping to the bathroom at three AM. He just wanted to do one thing— _ one thing _ —by himself. His crutches were on the opposite side of the room, he didn’t feel like using the wheelchair, and he  _ felt fine _ . Who could have known that his blood pressure was going to decide to drop when he stood up? Not him! 

…Okay, Kapono knew, and he warned Ash not to do it.

But he  _ felt fine! _ Why he had to endure hours of CT scans and exams and  _ follow-my-finger' _ s at the crack of dawn, he could never know.

Ugh, all this thinking is making his head hurt.

“…Ash? Ash, are you with me?”

“Y-yeah.” Ash flicks his eyes back open to satisfy him. “Look, can I at least go back to my room now—”

“Ash!” Kukui rushes through the sliding glass doors, his hair tousled and face red. He must have ran here.

Burnet follows right behind him. “Ash! Oh my God, are you okay!?” 

“I’m fine, everyone’s overreacting,” Ash placates. They all frown. “Seriously, I’m fine! I just…bumped my head a little.” He tries a lopsided grin. “What are you guys doin’ here? I told you to go home and actually get a good night’s sleep.” 

They all frown again. Wrong question?

Kapono sighs. “I was just explaining to Ash that he’s going to have to…extend his stay here.”

Kukui and Burnet keep on talking with Kapono in words Ash can’t follow and doesn’t want to follow. Low tones, hushed but masking panic. Ash can’t stand it. He wants to get out of here. He wants to go _home_. 

Their chatter stops. 

“What was that, sweetheart?” 

Ash looks up to the source of the voice; Burnet's concerned, wide eyes contrast sharply against the stark, sterile white lights. “I said, I wanna go home,” he murmurs.

Something runs down his face…is it blood again, like seven days ago? A shiver runs down his spine and his chest tightens, like a fist curling around his heart.

Kukui’s calloused fingers wipe gently under his eyes. Oh, cool, not blood, those were  _ tears _ . How  _ nice _ . How  _ independent _ of him. 

The tears just keep coming. He’s sobbing now. It hurts his head. Why won’t someone turn off that damn light? He closes his eyes and the tears still leak out. It stings. 

Why is all this only hitting him now?

Burnet and Kukui keep fussing over him, although it's clear they have no idea what they’re doing. Hands are held, hair is fluffed, tears are dried, but no one offers to take him home.

Kapono clears his throat. “…I’ll see what I can do to get you home, cousin. For now, try and rest. Someone will be in with ice chips and the blankets from your room, okay? Does that sound good?” 

Ash nods—tries to nod as best he can.

Kapono holds a hand to his shoulder and squeezes it gently. Ash blinks once, then he’s gone.

* * *

Nanu tosses the empty cardboard coffee cup across the room. “I hate everything.”

Zhou chuckles. “You love your Meowths.”

Nanu glares at her, then grins in his dark manner. “Correction, I hate everything except my Meowths.” When the door swings open, he slouches even lower in his chair. “Good morning, Agent.”

Looker gives his signature movie star grin. “Good morning, Chief, Deputy Chief.” 

Nanu looks at the smile for a half-second, then scowls and sits up. “Got anything good for me?” 

Looker slams his rather overstuffed briefcase onto the desk. “I have everything Interpol has on Team Rocket for the past one hundred and thirty-seven years.”

“Well, well, well, looks like  _ you _ became useful!” Nanu smiles like a Cheshire cat. 

He plunks down a folder with a thunk. “Members.” Another thunk. “Allies.” A louder thunk. “Targets.”

Zhou thumbs through the last one, stopping and dropping her jaw. “…Team Rocket killed JFK?” 

Looker grimaces. “I know.” He bites his thumb and looks to the sky, then looks right into Nanu’s eyes while gesturing to the folders. “But this? This is all superficial. We already know Team Rocket’s MO—steal, sell, kill, right?” 

Zhou nods. “Right. Basic mob.” 

Looker points at her and nods. “But that only explains their behavior halfway this time. Exposing Viren, that’s a steal and a sell in one move; Viren’s illegal assets will go to the highest bidder, which will undoubtedly be them, and TR can take over and move in to Alolan territory.”

Zhou drums her fingers on the desk. “But the kill…Why did they want Ash dead? Why would they go to the trouble of hacking his phone, figuring out his daily patterns, and making a suicide mission? And the wife? Where’s that safehouse?” 

“I don’t know any of that. But there might be someone who does.” Looker glares  _ hard _ at Nanu.

Nanu, whose Persian had decided to appear and sit on his lap, bristles. “What’re you looking at?” 

“You’re just like him.” Looker shakes his head. “Don’t pretend like you aren’t in bed with Giovanni.”

“Hey, hey, hey, what happened to when we had  _ you _ on edge?” Nanu, expression still smug, retorts. “And don’t act like you  _ don’t _ have contacts from Interpol. Giovanni and I are nothing more than that. He helps me, I give him false intel.”

Zhou almost spits out her coffee. There’s no way Nanu could have been giving him false intel—Giovanni wouldn’t trust him then.

“Well, believe what you want, Triple-zero, but right now, it looks like  _ you’re _ the one who’s complicit.” Looker’s jaw sets.

Nanu continues with his smug smirk. “Oh, am I supposed to be mad at that? I regret nothing, 100kr, so don’t pick a fight with  _ me— _ ” 

Zhou sets her coffee down a little harder than she need to. “Alright, sir, respectfully, shut up. We have work to do.” 

“Keep that up and I’ll take out your monthly donut bonus, Zhou,” Nanu fake-threatens, grinning even harder. He’s enjoying this conflict too much.

“Yeah, yeah...” Zhou murmurs, then stops when she flips the page. “There’s a  _ lot _ on Ash here.”

“Ash is...a complicated young man.” Looker frowns and shakes his head. “I can never keep him from getting involved in dangerous things.  _ Criminal _ things.”

“Stupid kid. So bright, but so  _ stupid _ . Can’t he see police life sucks?” Nanu murmurs absentmindedly as he flips through the pages. He grunts and pets his Persian when she mews impatiently, but then he goes completely motionless.

Zhou can hear the vibration of a phone somewhere.

Nanu clears his throat. “Ahem, well, I gotta take a piss. Find me something useful for me by the time I get back.”

Zhou almost spits out her coffee again as he skedaddles out of the room, hand on the left breast pocket where he keeps his burner phone.

* * *

  
  


Burnet’s voice for Nick Carraway—slightly deep, comically so—echoes in the ICU hallway. “‘...It was this night that he told me the strange story of his youth with Dan Cody--told it to me because "Jay Gatsby" had broken up like glass against Tom's hard malice and the long secret extravaganza was played out. I think that he would have acknowledged anything, now, without reserve, but he wanted to talk about Daisy... ’” 

“Knock knock,” Kapono murmurs softly—the stupid ICU doors were those sliding glass ones for “easy access and observation,” so there’s no way to knock on them like for a regular patient. Kapono feels like he's violating their privacy somehow, interrupting a family moment. Ash is all wrapped up in his blankets and is slightly reclined with Pikachu cemented on his lap as Kukui spoons him ice chips. His eyes are half-closed and his cheeks are tinted a gentle rose, presumably from crying.

That poor kid. He must be _beyond_ disappointed, not to mention his head must be killing him. 

Santos nudges Kapono gently into the room. 

Ash turns his head ever-so-slightly when the doors slide open. “Hey,” he croaks. His eyes get a little wider at the sight of Santos; he moves to sit up, but Kukui shushes him and presses him back down.

“Hi, Ash.” Kapono pulls two chairs up next to the bed and both he and his boss sit down.

Santos pushes a few buttons on the vital monitors—the alarms shut off with a click, and suddenly there is full silence. “Ash, this isn’t really common practice, but I want to make a deal with you.” 

“…A deal?” He mutters, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Santos nods. “A deal. I’ll discharge you if you agree to a few things.” 

Wait, that was  _ not _ part of the plan. Santos had just told Kapono twenty minutes ago that Ash  _ wouldn’t _ be discharged for three days, no matter how much Kapono argued with her.

…Seems her mind has changed. She keeps looking at Ash’s face—pale, flushed, tear-stained. He was suffering, that much was clear, and he wasn’t just suffering because of his injuries; being stuck in the hospital was the root of his discomfort. Kapono couldn’t convince her of that with only his words before, but now that she’s seeing it, it must be getting to her.

“Discharge?” Ash’s eyes get even wider. “D-does that mean I get to go home?”

“Mm-hm. I think you can go home, but only if you do a few things.” Santos shifts to rest her elbows on her knees. “You can go home only if you’re on strict bed rest for the three days that you would have been here. Then after the three days are up, you may only use the wheelchair. No crutch ambulation, no hopping.” She glares at him pointedly.

“I get to go home,” he states, confirming it to himself with a small, wistful smile. “I get ta' go home.” 

“I don’t normally do this, Ash. I have never discharged a case like yours directly from the ICU.” Santos pauses to let that sink in for him. “Do not make me regret it, please.”

“I-I won’t, I’ll be good, I promise.” Ash sits up, and this time Kukui doesn’t stop him. Ash looks to the couple and beams. “I get to go  _ home _ !” 

Kukui smiles as Burnet gives Ash a smooch on the forehead, but he eyes Santos and Kapono with a raised eyebrow. “Are you sure about this?” 

“Yes.” She grins tightly and gestures to Kapono. “This one will come by occasionally during the bed rest period and make sure everything’s on the right track, and I can also come by if needed.” 

Kapono grins, knowing he’s going to be at their house to talk story and make plate a  _ lot _ . “Do you have a car to go home in? I’d offer to take you, but I only brought my motorcycle.” 

Santos glares at him— _ “You’re going to be killed one day driving that!” _ she always says. “Or, even safer, ambulance transport.” 

Burnet takes one look at Ash, and it’s clear that he has zero desire to go home in an ambulance. “My Camry is fixed, if that’s okay?”

“That will be fine.” Santos rises from her seat and Kapono follows her. “I will back in a bit to go over medications and at-home care. A social worker will come in with insurance information shortly after that, and then Mr. Kapono can get you situated in your car, okay?” 

Ash nods. “Okay!”

Kapono grins. “See you then, cousin.” 

She nods her head politely, then the doors slide back open and they retreat to the hallway. Santos keeps walking, ready to make more rounds, but Kapono stops.

She turns around, making her slick salt-and-pepper braid bounce. “…What, Mr. Kapono? You got what you wanted, didn’t you? I’m discharging him.” 

“I just…somehow, it feels wrong compared to when I was arguing it to you before. It seems kind of sudden.” Kapono resists the urge to bite his nails—he has exam gloves on.

“Well, letting Ash go home is going to have its problems, just like making him stay here would have its problems. But if Ash is at home, there’s more chance that either of the Professors would stay with him at all times, prevent him from doing something he’ll end up regretting,” she reasons. “And in terms of medical professionals, in addition to you, I’m pretty sure he has one friend who’s in residency right now, right? Brock, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Kapono had seen him around. “He’ll probably hang around Ash a lot, that’ll be another set of eyes to make sure Ash doesn’t do anything stupid like this morning,” Kapono winces. “I feel terrible about that.”

“You weren’t on shift, it wasn’t your responsibility.” Santos lays a hand on his shoulder. “Look, you’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty on this case. I had known you had your RN in addition to your PT certs, but you did nearly  _ everything _ for our patient, barring surgery. This case really showcased your versatility.” 

“T-thank you, Doctor,” Kapono stammers—it was rare to get a compliment from  _ the _ Chief of the ortho department. It was even rarer for  _ him _ to get a compliment; he’s the notorious thorn in Santos’s side.

“…I’d like to see you in my office sometime, when you get the chance. I think it’s past time you got a promotion.” Santos gives one of her infrequent but warm smiles to him, then heads back to her rounds. “And good luck at the match tonight!”

The match…?

Oh, shit, the match!

Kapono checks his watch—it’s 8:36 AM. He and Kukui should be in the dome by 2 for the match at 7…damn, they have to be  _ quick _ with this discharge, because if they get their shit together and get Ash in his car by 10, Kukui’s going to want to be at home with Ash for a while to get him settled…Kukui may not even  _ want _ to do the match tonight, given Ash’s worsened condition...

Well. One step at a time. 

* * *

  
  


Nanu fumbles with his burner phone as he pushes outside the station.  _ Ring _ .

He runs to his patrol car.  _ Ring. _

He smashes the unlock buttons and slams himself into the seat, locking the door.  _ Ring _ .

_ Ring. _

Nanu finally clicks the  _ Take Call _ button nonchalantly, as if he weren’t freaking out inside.

_ “Nanu. Whatever you are thinking right now, it is wrong.” _

“Giovanni. Well, from where I’m sittin’, I’m thinkin' you tried to have a young boy murdered and then exposed another crime ring to cover it up.” 

_ “Listen to me.” _ Giovanni growls with more ferocity than Nanu has ever heard.  _ “It was not Team Rocket. Your investigation is putting one of my operatives in danger. Stop immediately.”  _

Nanu, suddenly intrigued, sits up. Giovanni usually admits to his crimes, he doesn’t dodge them. “Why the hell would I do that?” 

_ “Because I have intel that shows who really wanted Satoshi dead.” _

Nanu’s eyes widen and he rummages around for a legal pad and a pen. “Well then, let’s hear it, shall we?”

_ “First, a deal.” _

“What do you want?”

_ “You will leave Ichika Wilson and her property alone.”  _

Nanu huffs incredulously. “If you mean the wife of Phillip Wilson, the man who tried to kill Ash, then no.”

_ “You will leave her alone. Or I will hang up right now and you won’t get the full story behind this case.” _

Nanu pauses—he’s got his attention now. “I’m listening.” 

_ “Ichika Wilson is my agent. Her assignment twenty years ago was to infiltrate Viren’s ring. Incidentally, she married one of Viren’s agents as a power play.” _

Nanu pauses from scribbling this down, shocked. “Phillip Wilson is an agent of Viren? You told me they had no violent motives.”

_ “That was because I didn’t want you investigating them. But yes.” _

“So, why are you telling me this now?”

_ “Because when Phillip Wilson did not succeed in his mission—murder Satoshi by ‘involuntary manslaughter’—Ichika was targeted by Viren. She retreated to one of my safehouses, but the more you hang around her property, the more Viren notices that she isn’t dead. We have killed six agents already that have tried to infiltrate our base.”  _

“…Why would Viren want Ash dead anyway?”

_ “Because Viren is a sociopath who wants your new Alola League and everything associated with it destroyed.”  _

Nanu scribbles madly. “Why are you telling me this? Didn’t Viren kind of do your job for you? You want Ash dead, right?”

_ “No. I do not want Satoshi dead.” _

“Why not? All your previous encounters suggest otherwise.”

_ “Because Satoshi has personal contacts with Legendary pokemon. He would make a good Team Rocket agent.” _

“…So you could use him as a lure to steal Legendaries.”

_ “Precisely.” _

Lure. Legendaries. Ultra Beasts.

Giovanni is just like Interpol.

“Why should I believe any of this? How should I know any of this is real?”

_ “Because in addition to the six operatives I killed, I used rather advanced interrogation on eight more to draw out this information.”  _

“Jesus. I’m assuming they’re all dead now.”

_ “Believe what you want to believe, but if you don’t use this intel now, their blood is on your hands. And so is Zhou’s.” _

Nanu’s fists curl up on instinct. “What do you mean, Zhou?”

_ “White male, 6’2”, hired to shoot and kill, 6:30 PM at her apartment three days from now.” _

Nanu feels the color drain right out of his face. “Viren is sending a  _ hitman _ after her?”

_ “Yes. Don’t believe me? Let it happen. With Zhou dead, you’re next, and Satoshi will continue to be stalked until Viren can finally kill him and kill the Professor Kukui individual as well. It is in my best interest, and your best interest, to take down Viren.”  _

Nanu sighs. “Giovanni, I cannot arrest on this evidence. It isn’t real evidence because you won’t take a witness stand to deliver it.”

_ “Use your Interpol boy. Use the guise of a Blue Notice.” _ Giovanni sighs audibly.  _ “I’m bored of talking to you, Nanu. You’re not nearly as fun to toy with as you were in Interpol. Heed my advice, or don’t. It’s only your Deputy on the line.” _

The call clicks off.

* * *

“…I have an idea, but I’m not sure you’re gonna like it,” Kapono murmurs as he hovers over Ash, guiding him down to the wheelchair with solid hands.

Ash sighs as he settles into the seat. “What’s the idea?”

“Well, I’d like to give you a little tiny somethin' for your car ride. It’ll make getting you in there easier and less painful, and you can just take a little nap through the whole thing, no worries.” Ash can tell Kapono is forgoing stating the obvious—that Ash’s anxiety will undoubtedly fire up double time as soon as he gets into the car, and it’s going to be painful.

Ash frowns at him. “Are you talking about sedatives? No, I’m not gonna take more sedatives. They make me sleepy and stupid.” 

Burnet grasps the wheelchair’s handles, continuing to push at a slow but steady pace, and kisses the top of Ash’s hair, which makes him giggle. 

“Okay, but are you sure? It’s going to…it’s going to hurt in the car, Ash. If you’re nervous about it, then this will help—“ 

“No. I can do it, I don’t need some stupid medicine’s help.” Ash crosses his arms over his chest. “I don’t. I’ll be fine. I want things to get back to normal. I’m wearing my shoes—er, shoe, for the first time in forever, see?” Ash gives a lopsided grin and holds out his sneakered foot proudly.

“That you are, cousin.” Kapono looks behind him. “Kukui? You okay?”

“Fine,” he grumbles. He’s the designated pack mule, carrying Ash’s duffel bag full of stuff from the past week plus his own backpack and Burnet’s purse. “Will the trunk even fit all this?”

“It’ll fit  _ you _ . Stop complaining,” Burnet huffs with a smirk. 

“I wanted to push him!”

“Ladies first.”

Ash groans sarcastically. “Don’t fight over me. I already know I’m great.” 

“Now,  _ that _ we can all agree on.” Kapono stops at the front lobby. “Sweet freedom, cousin. You ready?” 

“More than ever!” Ash grins and leans forward, about to stand up.

“Cool your jets, Ash, sit back,” Kapono instructs. He deflates, but he feels himself smile when Burnet pushes him through the front doors and the tropical air hits him. It smells like hibiscus and salt, and it’s  _ so _ nice. It’s so much like home. He had almost forgotten the scent in the mere week he had been stuck in that godforsaken hospital.

Kukui pushes a lock of Ash’s hair back and grins at him. “Breathe that in, keiki. Alola’s happy you’re back.” 

Ash grins right along with him, even though the sight of Burnet’s Camry makes him irrationally uncomfortable. 

“Alright, who’s driving?” Kapono asks.

Kukui blanches. “N-not me.” 

“I got it.” Burnet swivels the keys on her finger and steps from out behind Ash, passing the wheelchair over to Kapono.

“Alright, let me think of the best way to do this…” Kapono murmurs. “Kukui, get in the back.”

The professor looks to Kapono like he’s about to complain, but then glances at Ash and smiles. He smushes himself into the far side of the backseat comically; his limbs were a little long to be stuck back there.

“And now, cousin, you’re gonna lay in the back.” Kapono helps Ash to standing on one foot—immediately his head spins and he grabs Kapono’s shoulder. “You okay? We’ll take it slow.”

Ash nods and lets Kapono take all of his weight, guiding him down to sit on the outside edge of the car seat. His abdomen twinges with pain, but he clenches his jaw and pushes it down.

“Okay, Kukui, can you…” Kapono gestures, and Kukui holds out his hands. Ash can feel himself being lowered slowly and carefully into Kukui’s lap, and feels Kapono stretching out his legs across the seats. Somehow, Ash ends up laying across the backseat with his head pillowed in Kukui’s lap. “There, hold onto your keiki,” Kapono instructs to the blushing Professor. 

Ash blushes and giggles as Kukui pets his hair, distracting him from the fact that literally every part of him is hurting. Ash notices that his whole body is quivering, just slightly. Not like how he’d shake after Kalos, but still, he’s shaking. 

Kukui seems to notice. “Hey. It’s okay. I’m scared, but we’re gonna get through this together, I’m right here,” he murmurs in his ear and keeps gently running fingers through his hair. “I’m right here.” 

Kapono sticks his head in for a moment longer. “Do you have everything?” 

Kukui nods. “Bags in the trunk, crutches in the front, kid's on my lap.” 

“Good.” Kapono grins and wiggles Ash’s exposed left big toe. “Kukui, I’ll see you at the dome at 2. Don’t be late, and don’t forget your gear like last time.”

Kukui waves him off. “Got it, got it, piss off.” 

“I’ll see you guys later. Take care going home.” Kapono waves and shuts the door.

There’s a tense moment when Burnet cranks the engine to life—Kukui’s hands stop in Ash’s hair for a moment, then move even faster through Ash’s fluffy black locks. 

Burnet cranes her head around to the backseat and makes eye contact with both of them. “Okay, boys. I’ll go as slow or as fast as you want, okay? Just tell me how you want it.” 

When neither of them reply, Burnet pulls the gearshift back and they roll out of the parking lot. 

Ash just closes his eyes, envisioning the house, the beach, the sun, the sand, the smell of korokkesando and berries. He feels Kukui’s sweatpants against his cheek…soft and worn, like they’ve been through the drier many, many times. And he feels his fingers in his hair, tracing circles on his scalp and combing out small knots rhythmically. There’s a softness there, a gentle intention behind those fingers. His head pounds, but where Kukui’s fingers touch, the pain abates for a moment. 

“That’s right, just relax. You’re safe. You’re okay,” Kukui continuously murmurs over the seemingly deafening roar of the car. Whether it’s directed to Ash, himself, or both of them, Ash could never know—something in his body shut off on the next round of finger-combs, and Ash drifted into a shallow, shaking sleep.

* * *

“ _ That _ is the greatest coverup I have  _ ever _ heard.” Looker finishes off his fifth cup of coffee for the day—and it’s only 10 AM. “That story just fits  _ so perfectly _ .”

Nanu, who still looks like he’s seen a ghost, just stares back. “Yes, because it’s  _ true _ .” 

Looker laughs, head tilted back. “Interpol was right.”

“Right about  _ what _ , 100kr?” Nanu snaps.

“That you, Triple-zero, sir, respectfully, are Giovanni’s bitch.” 

Zhou spits out her coffee for the third time that day. “What the  _ fuck!?”  _

Nanu holds a hand out toward her, forcing her to keep from lunging across the table at Looker. “Hey, hey, cool it.” He leans back in his seat. “Frankly, I don’t give a rattata’s  _ ass _ what you or Interpol thinks of me. But this? This is  _ undeniable _ .” Nanu flops his legal pad of scribbled Giovanni transcripts on the table. “You, 100kr, are here at  _ my _ disposal. If I say we want to chase this, then we will.” 

“This might be a red herring, and Giovanni will keep tracking Ash until he finally gets him and kills him or kills anyone else in the Alola region.” Looker implores. “When Giovanni, an Interpol criminal, kills someone on your soil, I am no longer 'at your disposal.’ I am the head of the investigation."

“Well then, thank God I’m right and Giovanni isn’t the killer, Viren is.” Nanu huffs.

“Do you have  _ any real evidence!? _ ” Looker almost roars.

There’s silence. Nanu doesn’t react at all—he just lets Looker stew in tense silence.

“Tch. Still not convinced, huh? Well, we can’t just ignore all of this.” Nanu eyes Zhou.

Zhou clears her throat awkwardly. “…He might be bluffing about that, just trying to get your attention.”

“Or he might be right. Either way, we’re all spending the afternoon at your apartment in three days,” Nanu rules. “I will  _ not _ run the risk that Giovanni is bluffing. I can’t see you hurt under my command.”

Zhou raises a brow at him. “Caring, huh, sir? Acerola’s rubbing off on you.”

Nanu shakes his head. “Don’t banter with me. We have a tip saying you plan to be murdered in three days.” 

Looker nods. “I agree with Triple-zero on this. We will stake out.”

Awkward silence passes as Looker and Nanu realize they’re on the same side, and Zhou laughs.

She clears her throat, stands up at attention, and straightens out the wrinkles on her uniform. “Yes, sir.” 

* * *

  
  


When Ash first wakes up, he isn’t exactly sure where he is. He’s in a bed…is he back in the hospital? But it’s very quiet here, and the bed is much larger, much more soft and comfortable. He’s warm—for the first time in days, he is actually warm and cozy. 

He forces himself to actually look around and use his senses fully. 

The car ride…He fell asleep…

Oh.  _ Oh. _ He’s in the Professors’ bedroom. He almost cries tears of relief.

The door swings open slightly, letting in a bit of light. “…Sweetheart, are you awake?” 

“Burnet-hakase?” He has to confirm—he thought it was Mom for a second.

“Yes, baby. How’ya doing?” She sits down at the edge of the bed and smooths out some wrinkles on the dark gray comforter. 

Well, how should he answer that? Everything kinda hurt, especially his leg, and his throat was dry, but those were problems he could deal with later. “‘M good,” he settles on murmuring. 

Burnet reaches a hand out to cup his cheek, but Ash just pulls her arm down to make her lay flat with him. He instinctively burrows his upper body against hers, closing his eyes and smelling her sweet, rosy perfume. 

“My sweet boy,” she murmurs back and cuddles him closely. Those words made his heart swell—he was  _ her _ sweet boy. 

She’s so much like Mom. If he can’t have her, he can have Burnet.

He burrows a little deeper in her hold, but then lifts his head to speak. “Where’s Kukui-hakase?”

There’s a deep baritone from the doorframe. “Here’s Kukui-hakase.” 

Burnet sticks her head up from nuzzling Ash’s cheek. “What are you still doing here? You told me you were leaving an hour ago! You are going to be  _ late _ to your own match,” she scolds. 

“It’s only 3, the match doesn’t start ’til 7, it’s fine. I’ve cut it close before.” Kukui enters the room and sits down on the opposite side of the bed. “Besides, I wanted to make sure you would wake up, sleepyhead,” he adds, slightly morbidly. 

“‘M awake, ‘m awake,” Ash mumbles blearily. He rolls his head slightly to bonk against Kukui’s leg.

“Okay, good. Are you still tired? I’ll leave you alone then—“

“No.” Ash scoots a little further toward Kukui, dragging Burnet along with him. “I’m ready to get up.”

“I’m not,” Burnet mumbles and cuddles Ash enthusiastically. Ash giggles as she gives his neck an eskimo kiss.

Kukui rolls his eyes. “Burnet’s such a cuddlebug.” 

“Can you blame me? I haven’t gotten to properly cuddle my Champ for a whole week, and you got him all to yourself in the backseat this afternoon!” Burnet whines, making Ash giggle harder. 

“Love your cuddling, Burnet-hakase, but it’s past time for me to get up…” Ash trails off when both Kukui and Burnet glare at him.

“Bed rest, remember?” Kukui warns.

“I know, but I want to go upstairs,” Ash argues. “I’ll stay on the couch and stuff, it's just that if I stay down here all the time I’m gonna sleep way too much. This bed is  _ way _ too comfy.”

“That’s…an interesting argument.” Kukui raises his brow. 

“Pleeeeeease?” Ash puts on his best puppy-eyes. “I wanna go upstairs so I can watch your match!” 

“Okay, okay, don’t give me that look!” Kukui grins sheepishly. “I’ll carry you upstairs if you promise that you’ll eat something and then sleep at least a little bit. The match doesn’t start for another four hours.” 

“Promise!” Ash nods, then brings out his puppy eyes again. “But I don’t need to be carried. I can go up the stairs myself, I’m not a baby.”

Kukui frowns. “Now, I won’t cave on that. Obviously, the wheelchair won’t work on stairs, and you are under no circumstances to be hopping around. I shouldn’t even be letting you out of bed, Dr. Santos said not to…”

Ash engages his puppy eyes to the next level.

Kukui sighs. “That face has too much power over me. Okay, I’m carrying you upstairs, hold on.” Kukui peels the comforter off of him, then scoops him up bridal-style with ease. 

Burnet grumbles when she loses her cuddle buddy and stretches as she stands up to follow them, back popping the whole way. “Y’know what, Kukui? This wouldn’t even have been a question if the bedroom weren’t downstairs in your  _ lab _ . Like, why? Why is your house set up like this?”

Kukui feigns heartbreak. “ _ Our _ house. And the house has character!”

“It’s such a confusing house,” Burnet elaborates.

Kukui adjusts Ash in his arms to pull him a little closer. “But it functions. These guys seem to like it…” 

He swings the door open with his foot, and five eager pokemon pop their heads out, chorusing greetings now that their trainer was awake. Lycanroc wags his tail and barks happily, doing an eager tap dance as he approaches. Melmetal waves his nut-hands. Rowlet coos at Ash, then floats into Burnet’s waiting arms. Incineroar, seeing Ash was in Kukui’s arms and not hers, seems a little jealous and disgruntled, but pats Ash’s cheek with her warm paw anyway. And Pikachu, trying to figure out the best way to get into Ash’s arms, squats, wiggles his tail on the ground for a moment, then leaps up onto Kukui’s shoulder. Then, with a content sigh, he settles between Kukui’s arm and Ash’s shoulder.

Ash makes eye contact with every one of them—in one look, he can let them know he cares about them, acknowledge their presence and thank them. “Hi, hello everyone, how are we doing?” 

Another chorus of cries rings out.

Ash giggles. “Good, good. C’mon everyone, we’re going upstairs.” 

The group starts on again as a pack. They pass the aquarium—Ash waves to the two Luvdisc and Corsola, who squeak in excited greeting through the glass at him. They were happy and surprised to see him, Ash can feel. 

“Hi, guys!” Ash replies back to their squeaking. Kukui stops walking, allowing Ash to reach out and place a hand on the tank. All three of the ‘mons take turns pressing their fins, noses, or branches to the glass where his hand resides, providing small affection while Ash giggles and dotes over them. 

“They missed you,” Kukui murmurs. He points to the ‘mons, then points up in instruction—they swim to the first floor to wait for them.

“I missed them too!” Ash giggles, but Kukui just gives him a somewhat melancholy smile. “…Are you okay, Kukui-hakase?”

“Oh, yeah, fine.” Kukui grips him a little closer and starts their trek up the stairs. “I just…y’know.”

Ash narrows his eyes…he didn’t even have to use his aura to see that there was so much anxiety in Kukui. He was always a little bit anxious, but this was a painful feeling.

“…I’m here now, Professor, I’m not going anywhere. You said that yourself. I’m done doing the whole dying thing,” Ash implores.

Kukui smiles that melancholy smile again. “That you are, keiki. I just…it was close. Scratch that, it wasn’t even close, you  _ did, _ y’know.” 

Ash frowns as he realizes what’s happening. “I…it hurts you a lot, Kukui-hakase. I’m sorry. I didn’t know how much.”

Kukui laughs—laughs a little too loud to be natural or humorous. “It’s not your fault. It is  _ not _ your fault, so never apologize, okay?” Kukui lays him gently to the couch when they arrive, adjusting the cushions and pillows with shaking hands.

“Okay, if that’s what you want.” Ash doesn’t let go of Kukui’s neck so quickly; he lingers a little longer, just to let Kukui know he was  _ there _ . 

Kukui chuckles again, cupping Ash’s cheeks in his hands. “How do you always end up making it about me?”

Ash shrugs and enjoys Kukui’s fingers in his hair again. 

Burnet trudges up the stairs, lagging behind slightly. “Jesus, I am out of shape.” She has a hand on her midsection—Ash wonders why. Is she feeling alright? He actively searches for her aura; he finds it's peaceful, strong. Her aura is…her aura is  _ really _ strong, stronger than it normally is. Wow. Ash wonders why. But those thoughts fall away when Burnet sits down next to him and smiles, brightening the room like only she could do.

She glances at her phone when it buzzes, then gasps. “Kukui! It’s 3:30! Go!” 

Incineroar perks up. “Cina?”

Ash giggles. “You want to go with Kukui-hakase?” 

“Cina…” She glances between Kukui and Ash. Ash could feel her conflicted wishes—she wanted to spend time with Kukui’s Incineroar and see the fight, but she also wanted to stay at home with Ash and…heh, she wanted to guard him. Images of Stoutland flood Ash’s mind when his aura reaches a little too far…of course. Of  _ course _ that’s how she saw it.

“Go on, Incineroar, I’ll be fine! I love you!” Ash smiles at her. “Have fun! But you guys better get going!"

Kukui grins and laughs. “Okay, okay…” Kukui grabs his gear bag and heads toward the door with Incineroar at his heels, then turns abruptly back to Ash. “There’s a korokkesando in the fridge, okay? Try and eat some, please! And get some sleep, too!” Kukui reaches and kisses his forehead, then kisses Burnet’s cheek. 

“I will, I will! Go, before Kap gets too mad at you!” Ash waves him off. “Ganbare! You got this! I’ll be watching!”

“Bye! I’ll see you tonight!” The door closes behind him, then he opens it again abruptly. "I love you both!” He adds, then the door shuts again, leaving Burnet and Ash giggling.

Once her giggles die out, Burnet sighs and pats Ash’s good thigh. “Let me get you your sandwich, honey. I know you weren’t feeling well enough to eat this morning, but I really think you should have a little something.” 

Ash nods. “Yeah, okay.” 

She pushes herself up off of the couch with a soft groan—barely noticeable, but Ash felt the dip in her aura. 

“…Are you okay, Professor?”

“Yeah, fine, why do you ask?” She smiles, head tilted in question.

What could he say?  _ Your aura is weird, Burnet-hakase? She _ does know about the whole aura thing, and she won’t know now. “You just…I dunno, you seem a little tired.” 

She groans. “Is it  _ that _ noticeable?” 

Ash shrugs. “Well, no, I don’t think so. I noticed, though. Is everything alright?”

“Oh yeah, everything’s great. I just need a good night’s sleep, then I’ll be fine.” She pulls the plate out of the fridge.

Ash feels something weird again with her aura.

What  _ is _ that? It’s not pleasant.

…Nausea. It’s nausea.

Ash looks closely to try and confirm that Burnet was actually feeling that way…sure enough, her face was a little pale, almost green, and the feeling only came while Burnet was looking at the plate.

Ash narrows his eyes. “Burnet-hakase, are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine.” She smiles and hands him the plate. “Excuse me for a moment.” She scurries off downstairs faster than he can protest.

Ash reaches out with his aura again, leaving the sandwich untouched. Is she okay…? 

…?

Oh, no. 

Ash is  _ not _ hungry anymore.

He pulls out his phone and taps to his list of contacts. 

“Takeshi? Chotto tasukete kudasai.” 

* * *

  
  


At 6:07, Kukui passes the fourth camera guy who scowls at him. “…Why are the press mad at me?” 

“I dunno, maybe because you were late to your own press conference.” Kapono remarks snidely.

“I said I was sorry!"

Kapono frowns at him. “Do you know how many angry reporters I had to fend off for you? This is a  _ big _ match, Kukui! They wanted to see you, not your skinny gay physio!” 

“I’m sorry, really! I just…Ash…” Kukui attempts to explain, then finds that he doesn’t have the words to properly express the full extent of concern he has for that boy.

“Fine, fine, get in here, start warming up.” Kapono holds his warmup room door open— _ MASKED ROYAL, _ it says in big letters. Kukui follows his command and steps inside, sitting down at the weight bench first to text Burnet.

_ -Hey _

_ -How’s everything _

A few seconds later,  **_we’re all fine, no worries. all of your class is here plus brock and misty, ash is happy_ **

_ -That’s good cuz it’s not like I was worried or anything _

**_—you’re too much_ **

Kukui snaps a quick picture of the two Incineroars, crowded around the punching bag in the back.  _ Kitties having fun _

**_—lmao, ash did his cute giggle at that_ **

_ -Precious _

**_—everyone says good luck ❤️ you’re gonna crush it tonight_ **

_ -Thank you to everyone  _

_ -I love you ❤️  _

“Hey, either stretch and text or don’t text at all. Get those muscles warm,” Kapono drills, sergeant voice on. He scoops a bunch of ice in his ringside bucket, then sticks the enswells inside.

“Gotcha. You are all fired up tonight, aren’t you?” Kukui grins and starts stretching.

Kapono laughs. “Yes, because this is your biggest non-title fistfight of the  _ season! _ I am  _ hype! _ Woo!” He whoops, clapping Kukui’s shoulders. “How you feelin’?"

“…Not hype? I’m not gonna win.” Kukui shakes his head. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, but don’t be too disappointed when I end up passed out on your exam table. I’ve already seen the odds people are betting on at Hano Grand tonight—he’s supposed to outpoint me and TKO by the fourth round.” 

Kapono steps back, shocked. “What’s with  _ that _ attitude? You totally have this guy if you just cover your left side and then get him on the ground. He’s a striker, he’s not gonna know how to deal with your wrestling holds.” 

“Well, it’s gonna be what it’s gonna be,” Kukui mumbles vaguely. He  _ so _ did not want to be here tonight, much less actually fistfighting UFC-style; he wants to be at home where he can be reassured at all times that Ash is alive. He curses his manager and the Battle Royal producers inside. He just wanted today off. He also wanted more  _ pokemon _ battles and less actual fighting; at thirty years and seven months, he’s kind of getting old for it, believe it or not. 

“Look, man, no matter what happens, I’m proud of you. I’m proud to be on your team. And I know Burnet and keiki will be even prouder.” Kapono grabs one of his hands and begins taping his knuckles. “This Unovan SOB, Rampage? He’s nothing. He’s a spot of blood on the octagon canvas. This is  _ your house _ .” 

“My house.” Kukui confirms, trying to hype himself up. “ _ My house. _ ” 

“Hell yeah. Now hold still, I gotta wrap.” 

* * *

  
  


_ “…Y’know, this is going to be a really interesting matchup tonight—Rampage, hailing from the home of UFC in Las Vegas, and the Royal himself, based in wrestling. Our Royal certainly has the home front advantage here, but it’s not often that he gets in an octagon. This match is a complete toss-up…” _ The TV drones on.

Lana, sitting on the floor and leaning against the couch, fake-snores. “When will they shut up and start the actual match?”

Kiawe, sitting on the left side of Ash with his cast in his lap, rolls his eyes. “They still have twenty minutes to waste—wait, Ash, isn’t that the guy who was your nurse-slash-PT?” 

Ash looks up from his phone momentarily. “Yup, that’s Kap.” He was in the very corner of the frame, carrying some sort of bucket and a little mini briefcase looking-thing; he sets them down right outside the cage, exchanges a few words with who must have been other members of the Masked Royal’s staff, and runs back out of the frame. “I think he told me he was going to be cutman tonight.”

“I…am so confused,” Lillie murmurs, sitting next to Kiawe and wringing her hands. “Wrestling is so strange.”

“Same,” Misty confesses. She’s sitting next to Lana, laughing at memes and shitposts they’re exchanging.

“Well, first of all, this isn’t wrestling. This is MMA,” Sophocles explains—he’s sitting next to Lillie on the far side of the sectional. “They’re pretty similar, but this is more Rocky and less Hulk Hogan.” 

“That was a horrible explanation,” Mallow huffs next to him. “See, basically, they’re gonna fight doing weird things that look like aggressive hugging for five rounds or until one of them passes out.”

Lillie nods hesitantly. “I…I see.” 

Mallow smiles. “You’re welcome!” She turns to Ash, then frowns. “Ash? Are you even gonna watch?” 

He looks up from his phone again. “Huh? Oh, yeah, of course, the match hasn’t started yet, right?”

His phone buzzes. Another text from Brock—he was positioned just to the right of Ash as a solid shoulder to lean against, but they couldn’t really talk about their subject matter aloud.

**_—And she’s been like that all day?_ **

_ -i dunno, i think so tho. ive felt her barf three times this afternoon _

**_—Where did she even go?_ **

Ash looks up and reaches out with his aura again. 

_ -shes downstairs, i dont feel her barfing but she’s really anxious _

Speak of the devil, Burnet trudges up the stairs again. “Which one of you said ‘aggressive hugging?’”

Mallow shirks—Burnet had her  _ Commanding Mom _ voice on. 

Burnet shakes her head, sighing and giggling simultaneously. “Y’all got this  _ all _ wrong. Clean fighting is the finest sport in existence, topped only by pokemon battling.” 

Brock nods. “Understandable, those are your family’s two specialties, right?” 

She nods and laughs. “You’ve got that right.” She turns to Ash with a small smile. “Need anything, babe?”

“No, I’m great! Here, come sit,” Ash invites—they all scooch over and Burnet takes station next to Brock. 

Ash reaches out his aura again…less anxiety. But still, her aura is  _ so _ strong. Ash probably wouldn’t even be thinking about aura if hers weren’t so dang strong.

- _ she has so much aura it’s driving me nuts, is she okay please do the doctor thing on her _

Ash pauses while he watches Brock observe her discreetly out of the corner of his eye.

**_—Okay don’t react when I text you this_ **

_ -ok? _

**_—You said she’s been sleeping a lot, way more than normal? Vomiting when she sees food? A little weak? And she has a lot more aura than normal?_ **

_ -yeah and i would think she’s sick or something but her aura is really really really strong _

Ash watches Brock type madly—but then Pikachu catches sight of what he’s typing and steals the phone from Brock’s hand.

“ _ Pi- _ ka!” Pikachu scrambles over to Burnet and hugs her midsection, snuggling his face into the giant sweatshirt she had on and cooing with affection.

“Hi, Pikachu!” She giggles. “What’s this all about, huh?”

_ “Pi _ -ka!  _ Pika _ pika!” He pats her stomach gently, then gives her midsection another hug.

Everyone collectively  _ awwwww _ s.

“Awe! Thank you, Pikachu, you’re so sweet, I love your hugs!” Burnet scratches behind his ears and plants a smooch on his forehead.

“Munch, munchlax!” Munchlax, a little bleary-eyed, sits up from his bed when he hears Pikachu exclaiming.

“Pika! Pikapi, pika-pikachu!” Pikachu converses with him eagerly, pointing to Burnet conspicuously. 

“ _ MUNCH _ -lax?” He questions.

“Pika!” 

Munchlax starts barreling toward Burnet, tackling her legs and nuzzling her with the same enthusiasm as Pikachu. “Munch! Munchlax-munch!” 

“Woah, hey there, Munchlax, you’re being sweet too! Do you want some food or something?” Burnet murmurs, confused.

He shakes his head. “Munch!”

“You don’t want  _ food _ ?” She gasps. “What do you want, then?”

Munchlax just hugs her legs tighter.

“Awwwww, sweetheart! I get a hug from you, too!” Burnet leans down (Ash could have sworn she let out a tiny groan then, too) and gives him a hug. 

The sound of the first fight bell rings through the TV.

_ “And the fighters enter in! Welcome to the Battle Royal Dome, where tonight’s top card non-title match is a one-on-one MMA cage fight with five rounds!”  _

Everyone’s attention is distracted from the pokemon’s behavior for the moment. Ash forgets about his phone—all of his half-functioning brain was trained on the TV.

_ “In the blue corner, the Unovan, Taye ‘Rampage’ Scott!” _

Cheers are heard over the TV, but no one cheers in the house. He walks up and into the cage, his mischievous and…rather evil smile glinting off the camera lights.

_ “And in the red corner, the king of the Battle Royal dome, Makoa ‘Royal’ Kukui!”  _

Now the house explodes with cheers. Kukui strides in with confidence, his fists raised up in the air. When the cheers in the dome dip down in the slightest, he raises a red, yellow, and green flag wrapped around his back—the dome explodes in another round of cheers.

“Oh! He’s got the Kanaka Maoli flag! Go Professor Kukui!  _ Yes! _ ” Kiawe exclaims.

Burnet smiles proudly. “That’s my husband.”

Lillie cocks her head. “…Where’s his mask?”

“They’re not allowed by UFC rules,” Sophocles explains. “He can’t wear his pants or his boots, either—look, he just wears shorts.”

Sure enough, Kukui looked a lot different than how he looks for his wrestling matches or his Pokemon Battle Royal matches; he wore only tight-fitting shorts and fingerless gloves. It had been a week since Ash had seen him without a shirt…he had been hiding under sweatshirts most of the time at the hospital. It was a refreshing change—Kukui looked strong. Ash feels the adrenaline building up in him in anticipation. 

“Ash, isn’t that your Incineroar?” Misty asks, laughing. She and Kukui’s Incineroar followed close behind Kukui, taking their stations as cornermen and occasionally wrestling with each other playfully.

_ “And in the Royal corner stands not only the leader of the Battle Royal Pokemon rankings, Incineroar, but also—I don’t believe my eyes—Alola’s own League Champion Ash’s Incineroar! Wow!” _

“She really looks like she’s having fun, huh?” Ash grins. He was glad he encouraged her to go.

One bell rings—Kukui and his opponent come to the center of the octagon. They both pop mouthguards on and put their fists out in front of them. 

The referee comes between them starts speaking into his mic.  _ “This will be a match lasting until one party is defeated or submits, or five rounds have passed. Do both parties understand the rules?” _

They both nod.

_ “Protect yourselves at all times. Obey my instruction. Touch gloves.” _

The men touch their gloves together. The crowd roars.

_ “Back to your corners. Fight clean, fight hard, fight fair.” _

Once they retreat to their own corners, three bells ring. 

* * *

  
  


The exact memories from the fight were hazy in Kukui’s mind, but he remembers the thoughts running in his head perfectly.

“Skip the dance,” Kapono had told him. “Get him on the canvas as soon as you can.” 

“The man who strikes first will win,” Hala had told him yesterday.

So, Kukui skips the dance. He leaps up and lands a hard right hook on Rampage’s jaw.

The crowd roars as Rampage recoils. But before Kukui can react, he’s slammed into the cage wall.

His head spins. He lets his fists fly, not even caring about technique.

A voice—Kapono, from his corner. “FOCUS! GET HIM  _ OFF _ YOU! CANVAS HIM!” 

Kukui’s brain snaps back into place. He hooks an elbow under Rampage’s armpit and  _ pushes _ —he’s on the canvas. 

“GOOD! YES!” The corner replies.

Rampage starts to scramble up, but Kukui pins him before he can rise. He tries a cross armbar—it holds for about two seconds, then he flips back over and snaps up.

_ Damn it. _

The slippery bastard jumps up and gives an axe kick straight to Kukui’s chin as he’s still bent over, snapping his neck back and sending him reeling. 

Kukui can feel the warm, wet blood flow down his chin to his chest.

It’s bad. Kukui’s knows it’s bad. He lets his vision tunnel and lets his brain vacate the premises. 

He sucks a breath in and  _ waits _ for his opening.

There.  _ Right there.  _

Kukui charges in to his side and gets a leg between his two—cobra twist. Once his opponent’s abdomen is fully exposed, Kukui lands a  _ hard _ punch directly to his stomach. He lets go when the man groans and recoils into himself.

From the corner: “YES!  _ THERE _ YOU GO!” 

Kukui bounces on his feet gently as he waits for the man to rise all the way up. He takes his sweet time, then mirrors Kukui on his toes. In a flash, he comes in for a slamming jab—then the bell rings.

Kukui’s running on autopilot—he doesn’t resist when the ref pulls them off of each other. He staggers to his corner—it’s red. The red one, that’s his, that’s what he’s looking for.

“Hey, hey! Here! Sixty seconds!” Kapono snaps his fingers and slams him down to the stool, then presses the enswell to his swelling cheek with one hand. “Jesus fuck, Kukui, you gotta get with me, do  _ not _ shut down after the first round,” he murmurs. Kukui feels the sharp burn of adrenaline chloride under his chin where he was kicked, then the slime of Vaseline to seal it. Kukui is vaguely aware of Kapono toweling him down with a cool cloth, getting the blood off his chest to prevent a blood foul from the ref, then thrusting the water tube into his mouth. 

“How do you do this all with one hand?” Kukui murmurs, though it’s probably distorted through his mouthguard.

“Practice.” Kapono makes sharp eye contact with him. “You’re doing good. You’re doing good. Keep doing the holds. You outpointed him this round.”

“I did?”

“You did, 10-9. Good job. Keep it up.” 

The bell rings—the enswell comes off his face and he charges back into the center of the octagon.

* * *

  
  


“He has to do it all again?” Lillie nearly cries. 

“Five rounds, yeah,” Ash replies. It’s fascinating—it’s Pokemon battling, essentially. Since Kukui was officially unmasked, he’s taught Ash a lot of little things that make fighting even that more interesting. Ash usually has ringside seats, sometimes even a corner seat, but today he couldn’t take advantage of that.

“H-how? It looks so painful…” Mallow murmurs and hugs her Shaymin closer.

Ash shrugs. “'If I'm still standing, I’m still fighting!’” He tips his hat and lowers his voice, doing a Masked Royal impression.

“He won last round, too,” Burnet adds. “He might look beat, but he’s far from finished.”

_ “And the Royal comes around for a scissor kick on the first move! Rampage is doubled over!” _ The TV squawks.

“YES!” Burnet exclaims. “There you go, Kukui!”

_ “But wait! WOAH! A fishhook from Rampage!”  _

Ash watches closely. “What—what is he doing?” The opponent had suddenly bounced back and gotten him against the cage like before, but his fingers were…in Kukui’s mouth? It was like he was pulling his jaw out of hinge—he could hear Kukui’s groan clear through the TV and saw the slightest red tinge of blood. 

_ “FOUL!” _ The referee peels the two of them off each other.  _ “Five minutes for red corner!”  _

“That was  _ illegal! _ That is a  _ DQ! _ ” Burnet yells at the TV, then goes to chew her nails.

There’s terse silence in the house while they wait for the judges’ decision. The cameras zoom in on Kukui’s corner; Kapono turns his body to block Kukui’s face from being seen—Kukui said that was something they did occasionally. That was a bad sign—if they didn’t want the audience seeing his face, he probably had gotten hurt badly in some way.

_ “Round 2 ends 10-7, Red!”  _

* * *

“Kap,” Kukui pants out. “How bad is it?” 

“Not bad,” Kapono says, tone flat, as he gets between Kukui and the cameras.

“You’re..you’re doing the thing,” Kukui murmurs. God, he was almost gone. He needed to keep it together.

“You’re bleeding from the mouth just a little bit. Don’t worry about a thing, I’ve got it under control, it looks a lot worse than it actually is,” Kapono murmurs, a little softer this time—he had 300 seconds to fix him up this time, not sixty. “Close those lips, kua’ana, I’m about to give you Avitene before the ring doc gets upset.”

Kukui complies, feeling the cauterizing powder applied on the torn corners of his lips. Rampage really got him good—he wasn’t expecting a fishhook. But the Avitene stings almost worst, holy shit. He maybe whimpers, just in the slightest.

“Shh, shh, brah, the mics are gonna pick it up.” Kapono presses the enswell to his cheek again—that jab from the first round was making him swollen. “You’re doing great. You’re winning. You just need to get in there and let some hell loose, like you did on that punching bag, remember? You remember?”

Kukui nods. He remembers—he remembers vividly. He just needs to get worked up enough to do it. He can’t remember what set him off last time…what was it? But he remembers the feeling.

“Okay. Good deal. Are you ready to fight?” 

“‘M ready.”

Kapono dabs a little bit more vaseline on his chin and on the corners of his lips. “You’re good as new.” 

Kukui lets Kapono pop his mouthguard back in with care to prevent stretching his lips too tight.

“Is the red corner able to continue?” The referee asks.

Kukui nods—he feels the cameras’ eyes on him.

The bell rings, and Kukui moves to the center of the octagon again. He and Rampage begin to dance around each other, each taking a little bit of time to analyze and recover; Kukui could see the swelling on his opponent’s left eye and abdomen where he nailed him previously—those were places he could target.

Now, this is where Kukui’s memory starts to get fuzzy—but he does remember what Rampage does next; he “drops” his mouthguard.

“Hold!” The referee calls, putting a hand between Kukui and his opponent while he fumbles with the mouthguard. 

Then, Rampage mumbles quietly: “Your son watchin’ right now? ‘Er is he dead yet?”

Time stops. The roar of the crowd goes silent in Kukui’s ears—in fact, he hears nothing but the roar of his own heartbeat. He sees nothing but Rampage—what was his real name? Scott? He sees the glint of tease in his eyes.

Kukui suddenly remembers how he let loose the hell inside him.

He’s vaguely aware of the referee removing his hand when the mouthguard pops back into Rampage’s mouth.

He’s vaguely aware of how he jumps onto his opponent, setting up another cobra twist and torquing his body until Rampage’s joints make popping sounds and he grunts in pain. 

He’s vaguely aware of how he begins slamming his fist into Rampage’s exposed gut, over and over and over and over again. 

He’s vaguely aware of the ref pulling them apart when his opponent stopped resisting in his arms.

He’s vaguely aware of the bell ringing wildly, the crowd roaring.

“Red corner wins by technical knockout!” 

The crowd roars even louder—they were cheering for him.

He could have killed that guy right then. He was about to. He could have torqued a little harder, until his spine popped like popcorn and his eyes never opened again, that’s what he deserves for talking about his son like that—

What the hell is he  _ thinking right now _ ? 

He needs to go to his warmup room and lay down on Kap’s exam table for an hour or so.

“The Royal wins!” 

Kukui feels his hand being raised in victory, feels a heavy victory belt being secured around his waist. He feels the cameras’ eyes on him again, so he plasters on a smile.

He looks down to his opponent. He was up again.

“Good match,” Kukui murmurs.

“Good match,” he murmurs back.

They don’t touch gloves. 

* * *

“That...was the greatest thing I have ever witnessed,” Misty murmurs in complete reverence. “How did he do that?”

“Pure human strength, man against man. A fine sport,” Kiawe decides, nodding.

“It was a great match. He really had quite the comeback in round three,” Sophocles observes. “I wonder how he did that. He seemed close to TKO after the fishhook.”

“Kukui’s got plenty of tricks up his sleeves—er, metaphorical sleeves, I suppose, since he never wears a shirt,” Burnet laughs. She’s so proud of him; he was so nervous going into this match. 

Ash’s starts are still sparkling and he looks too hyped to speak. He probably would have been on his feet and cheering if it weren’t for Kiawe holding his casted leg and drawing various doodles of pokemon (“I learned from Mimo.”)

“I do hope he’s okay, though, he seemed…a little off on that third round,” Burnet murmurs.

Ash replies to that with a soft, nerve-quelling smile. “He’s probably okay. He’s already texted me a bunch,” he giggles. 

“Now, that’s more like him.” Burnet lets out a big sigh—she was  _ exhausted _ . “Jesus, just watching the match is making me tired—and I didn’t even fight!” 

“It is getting rather late, Professor. I should be on my way,” Lillie says as she stands, grabbing her hat. “Thank you so much for having me over.”

“Awe, sweetie, don’t even mention it, we’re all family here!” Burnet pulls her into a side hug, kissing the side of her cheek. “You be careful going home, miss.”

“I will! Tell Professor Kukui I said congratulations, even if I didn’t quite understand it.” Lillie rocks on her toes, giggling meekly. “And Ash, I’m really happy you’re home.”

“Same!” Lana says.

Sophocles agrees, “Exactly!” 

Mallow rests her head on Ash’s good knee. “We missed your crazy self this week.” 

Kiawe grins. “I can’t wait to have a battle with you again!” 

“You guys can all come over tomorrow if you want, I’m not allowed outside a bed.” Ash pauses, considering his surroundings. “Er, couch, whatever, we bent the rule.”

“Whatever will keep your hyper ass in check.” Lana smirks and whirls her keychain on her finger. “I better get going, too.”

“You’re my ride, don’t forget me!” Mallow leaps up.

“And me, too!” Sophocles joins her.

Mallow smiles brightly. “Bye, Ash! I’ll be back tomorrow with…what would you like?”

Ash considers this. “Mm, anything Poni radish. Or anything you have laying around the restaurant, I’m not picky. Everything is delicious.”

“Taken under advisement!” She smiles and grabs Lana’s and Sophocles’s hands. “Bye, Professor Burnet! See you later!”

“And I better go, too! Gotta read Mimo her bedtime story.” Kiawe lifts Ash’s cast gingerly, like its a Pokemon egg about to burst, and passes it to Misty, who takes his spot on the couch. “Bye Ash, bye Professor Burnet, just text me if I can help with anything.” 

“Thanks, Kiawe,” Ash bumps fists with him, then he’s out the door, leaving only Misty and Brock.

“Well!” Misty says, then starts rapidly talking in kantonian with them.

Ash replies, then glances at Burnet. “Sorry,” he apologizes meekly.

“Oh, don’t worry about a thing, love. You guys have fun.” She pushes herself off the couch, making her stomach twist again. 

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Professor?” Brock pipes up. “Can I talk to you for a moment?” 

“Sure!” Burnet smiles, but cocks her head at him. When he just stares back, still as a stone, she leads him out to the porch.

The door closes behind them softly. “Are you alright? I heard you didn’t feel well this afternoon,” Brock speaks in measured tone.

Shit, Ash heard her fucking barfing and told Brock, wonderful.

“Oh, no, don’t worry. I’m pretty sure it’s just, y’know, that time of the month.” She blushes even harder.

“When was the date of your last period?” Brock blushes. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that.” 

“Well, uh.” She looks down at her feet and places a gentle hand on her sweatshirt-covered belly. She wasn’t showing yet, she didn’t think, but she wanted to be cautious. “I missed my last period, so it was about six weeks ago.”

Brock’s eyes widen, but he doesn’t look all that surprised. “Are you pregnant?”

Burnet feels tears prick at her eyes. “Yes.” 

“Have you told anyone yet?”

“No. And I can’t.” Burnet wipes at her eyes, willing the tears away. “Look, Brock, I don’t know you very well, but I think you can understand that there is a  _ lot _ going on in the family right now, and me being pregnant can’t add to that.”

Brock’s brow furrows. “I understand. I won’t tell anyone.” 

“Thank you.”

“…Pikachu and Munchlax know, though.”

Burnet bursts out laughing. “So that’s what that was.” 

Brock smiles, then turns serious again. “Have you been to a doctor?”

“No, I tested positive last week, right before the crash. I meant to tell everyone that night—Olivia and I were together, and we were going to come home with the boys and that way I could have told everyone at the same time and…and…” Burnet feels herself choke up. “I don’t—it's not about me, I’m so sorry.”

“Right here, right now, it  _ is _ about you, Professor.” Brock places a hand on her shoulder…it’s comforting. “If I’m right and you’re about six weeks along, you should go and get your first prenatal checkup as soon as you can.”

“O-okay. Okay.” Burnet takes a deep breath. 

“And in the meantime, my personal recommendation is that you get as much rest as you can. Ash will be sleeping a lot; you should sleep when he’s sleeping,” Brock instructs gently. “He has a suspicion because of his aura.”

“…Aura?”

Brock’s expression flashes again. “Oh, don’t worry about it then.”

“Ash has  _ aura _ ?” 

“That’s how he could tell you weren’t feeling well. He also says there’s a lot  _ more _ aura in you than usual…he doesn’t know why. I won’t tell him.” Brock shakes his head. “He doesn’t like telling people about it. Please, keep that a secret for me. He’ll tell you when he wants to tell you.”

“I—Jesus. Okay, yeah.” Burnet nods. 

“I’m sorry I confronted you like this, Ash was just so worried…” Brock trails off. “He loves you so much.”

“H-he does?”

“Yeah.” Brock nods. “You and Professor Kukui mean the world to him, and I suspect likewise. So I think you can be confident that whenever you decide to tell him, he’s gonna be thrilled.” Brock grins.

The tears come to Burnet’s eyes again, but she forces them down.

“I better get going, Professor. Try not to worry—things will work out, I promise,” Brock smiles. “Let me know if there’s anything—anything at all—I can do for you.”

“I will. Thank you, Brock.” Burnet sits there for a moment, then wraps the boy—no, he’s an  _ adult _ —into her arms.

He pulls away after a moment, then sticks his head back inside the door, exchanging a few more quick Kantonian phrases. Misty appears, and Burnet hears Ash yelling back happily.

“Bye, Professor, thanks for having us over!” Misty says, bowing with her neck gently. Brock does the same.

“You’re welcome anytime.” Burnet smiles warmly and pulls them both into a hug—the first for Misty, the second for Brock. “It means so much for you guys to come all the way from Kanto for Ash. He appreciates it so much, and so do Kukui and I.”

“Hey, we’re family, right?” Misty shrugs.

“Exactly.” Burnet waves them off as they hop into their rental car, speeding back off toward the city. Their car’s tires on gravel mask Kukui’s for a moment.

He sees her on the porch and waves.

Oh, God, was she glad to see him.

His engine shuts off, then he comes up—with Kapono trailing behind him.

“Hi, babe.” He scoops her up into a hug that leaves her feet off the ground. He must have showered at the dome—his hair is wet and smells like kukui oil, like it always does.

“Hey,” she breathes against him, kissing his neck. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” He sets her down gently.

Burnet traces a few spots on his face—under his chin, the corners of his lips, a few bruises cropping up everywhere. “You fixed him up well, didn’t you?” Burnet smirks at Kapono. They looked healed; cutman first aid was ridiculous.

Kapono grins. “Yeah, well, I had to leave him with some semblance of a face. I knew you’d kill me otherwise—“ 

“Shut up, prick,” Burnet shoves him playfully.

Kukui frowns. “I only brought his ass so he could check on Ash.” 

“And I also came to deliver dinner!” Kapono holds out takeout containers. “Two enchiladas suizas for the happy couple and nachos for the keiki, from Luchador’s.”

Nothing has been appealing to Burnet lately but malasadas and crackers, but Luchador’s—the best mexican food in the region, right on Royal avenue—she would devour in a heartbeat. “I take back the prick comment. Come inside.”

“Kukui-hakase! You did  _ amazing! _ Congratulations!” Ash exclaims when they walk in. “And hi, Kap! I saw you on TV!”

Kukui sinks to his knees at Ash’s side, looks him over, then deems him okay. “Thank you, keiki,” Kukui says, ruffling his hair.

Kapono grins and passes Ash his nacho container, which Ash immediately digs into. “How are you feeling?”

Ash has been through this routine too often to lie. “Head hurts a little bit but I feel fine otherwise.”

Kapono grins. “Good. Now, you eat your nachos, I’m gonna try and take your vitals while you do it.” 

“Kukui-hakase, that guy was really strong! Wasn’t he, like, number three on the UFC rankings?” Ash asks.

Kukui pauses from stuffing his face with enchilada. “Yeah, he was, which was crazy. So I technically rank in UFC now.”

“Do you ever want to do UFC?” Burnet, already finished with her enchilada, steals a bite from Kukui’s—the baby needs it, she tells herself.

“Fu—heck no. I’m ready to get back to wrestling—it doesn’t cut up my face as much,” Kukui laughs and feeds Burnet more enchilada.

Kapono closes his “doctor bag”—a backpack with a blood pressure cuff, a stethoscope, and an enswell—dramatically. “You look good, Ash. Your blood pressure’s still a little low, though—have you been drinking enough fluids like I asked?”

“I’ve been through two gatorades in the last hour.” Ash smiles proudly, then smirks at Burnet—she was the hydration police.

“Good, have another.” Kapono pops another one out of his bag. “Everything looks great, but for the love of God, go sleep in a bed tonight, please, with your leg elevated.”

“I gotcha, I gotcha.” Ash grins, mouth full of nacho.

“Ci-na?”

“Cin-a?”

The two Incineroars pop out from the front door.

“Hi—woah!” Ash giggles as his Incineroar gives him a warm hug. “Good girl. Did you like the match?”

She nods enthusiastically, then gets back to arm wrestling with Kukui’s Incineroar, who nods to him in acknowledgement.

Kapono starts packing his stuff back up, glancing at his phone. “My uber’s here,I better be going. Ash, be careful. Kukui, don’t mess with my beautiful handiwork.” He gestures to Kukui’s face.

“Alright, get outta here,” Kukui chases him out with a laugh.

Ash waves. “Bye, Kap!”

“Hey, hold up a sec,” Burnet murmurs in his ear and follows him out the door, leaving them on the porch—she can do this. She can do this. 

Kapono cocks his head. “What’s up, Burnet?”

She takes a deep breath and lays a hand on her tummy—her stupid little blueberry-sized non-existent baby was making stuff hard.

“Let’s say—hypothetically—that one person is hypothetically pregnant and hypothetically keeping it a secret but hasn’t gone to the hypothetical doctor yet and hypothetically would need you to arrange a hypothetical appointment.” 

All the blood rushes out of Kapono’s face. “Y-you what? You’re  _ pregnant _ ?”

“Shh! Yes!” Burnet slaps him gently. “You can’t tell anyone, though, I just need your help.”

“Why wouldn’t you tell anyone?” Kapono cocks his head, then gets paler. “…The baby isn’t Kukui’s?” 

“No, of course it’s his!” Burnet slaps him a little harder. “I just…I dunno. I need to get an appointment set up and I didn’t want to do it alone.” 

Kapono shakes himself off. “O-okay, sure, I can get something set up for you. How far along are you, do you know?” 

“Brock said six weeks.” 

“And just you, Brock, and I know about this?” 

“Pikachu and Munchlax too…I guess.” 

Kapono frowns. “Why wouldn’t you—“

Burnet glares at him. “You think I would drop this while we’re in the middle of a massive criminal investigation and Ash almost died and Kukui’s mental state is hanging on by a thread?” She shakes her head. “He might  _ combust _ if I tell him.”

“I…okay. Yeah, that makes sense.”

“Promise me you won’t spill.” Burnet glares her famous  _ Wife Glare _ at him.

He caves. “I promise! I promise, I promise!” 

“Good.”

“Okay, um. I’ll probably come by tomorrow to check on Ash again, and we can talk more about this, okay? I’ll get an appointment set up for you in the meantime, my ex works in the OB unit,” Kapono murmurs.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!” Burnet gives him a smooch on the cheek. “Tell no one, you hear?”

“I promise!” He jumps into the uber and throws her a shaka and a wink.

Ugh. What a day.

Burnet opens up the door again, finding Ash in Kukui’s arms half-asleep. Kukui’s humming a soft tune and smiles when he sees Burnet. 

Oh, who is she kidding?

Kukui’s already a fucking dad, she’s already a fucking mom.

This blueberry is her second kid, goddamnit. 

* * *

“Daveed. Hey.” Zhou curls up in her desk chair a little tighter—she was sleeping at the station tonight. She tried watching some MMA match, but it only made her more anxious.

_ “Hi, honey. Everything okay?” _

“Yeah, I’m fine. How are your parents? They aren’t mad you’re staying for longer, right?”

_ “No, of course not. I have about thirty tupperware containers of Pakistani food to bring home, though.” _

“I’m looking forward to it.” 

Zhou sighs over the line.

_ “You sound tired.” _

“I am tired. You know how shitty cases like these are.”

_ “Yeah, I know.” _

Comfortable silence passes over between them.

“I can’t wait ’til you can come home.”

_ “Me neither. I hate the JAG, but they keep sending me these awesome cases to do. I can’t wait to be back in the courthouse. And to be back with my Rach.” _

“Just hang tight, xīngān. I have to fix a few things here, then we can get back to planning he wedding and doing other normal couple stuff.” 

_ “I love you.” _

“I-I love you. I love you.” 

Zhou hangs up.

She tries not to cry.

She cries anyway.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sdfkjsdnfjsdfn my brain no longer functions
> 
> if you have questions please don't hesitate to ask
> 
> stay safe everyone


	12. quantifiable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things start to return to normal...a new normal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you angel for the beta! you're wonderful!
> 
> thank you sapphiria for helping me plan, you're the best!
> 
> and thank you for all the wonderful comments y'all leave! it brings me so much joy to read them—this is for you!
> 
> (TW: this chapter is violent in some places. auto accidents, gun violence, slight gore warning)

_ Blood, so much blood everywhere. _

_ The screech of tires. The smell of gasoline and something burning. Sirens. _

_ Screams. Screams from his son, screams so loud and full of agony and torture. Cries for him to make it stop.  _

_Kukui holds him in his arms as he writhes in pain—he holds him tight, mumbling praises and_ **_I love you_** _s to him over and over._

_ Eyes rolling back in his head. _

_ Blood. _

_ Red. _

_ Wet, warm, between his fingers, all over the blacktop.  _

_ Bubbling over his slack, blue lips.  _

_ Pieces of his abdominal organs in shreds. Bone fragments oozing out yellow liquid.  _

_ Eyes rolling back in his head. _

_ Eyes rolling back in his head. _

_His eyes don’t close, they just roll back. He doesn’t even go still like in the movies, that would be too nice and peaceful and easy—he jerks a little bit, lets out a few more whimpers. The blood flows out all over him and it’s covering Kukui, covering his skin, his clothes, in his mouth and ears and nose and all he can feel is blood all over him why God why him why now_ **_why not me God take me I can’t do it anymore—_**

… 

Kukui doesn’t wake up with a start—he has this same nightmare every time he closes his eyes, it’s no longer a surprise to wake up and know that it actually happened. Nine days, three hours, thirty-two minutes ago, actually. 

It doesn’t stop the fact that he’s crying. He always cries—God, he’s so pathetic. At least he can hold back the barf, now, though.

But he does have to go check on Ash. Kukui knows he’s okay, he’s alive, but  _ still _ . Still. Still, he has to, he just  _ has to _ . 

Kukui peels himself off Burnet as gently but as quickly as possible, then jumps off the couch and sprints towards the stairs to the lab and bedroom. He must have been sweating while he was dreaming this time—he was a little sticky under his arms, between his thighs, on the backs of his hands even. 

“Luca?”

Kukui stops in his tracks—Lucario waits at the base of the stairs, slightly bleary-eyed, but curious. “Lucario, hey,” Kukui murmurs, sniffling and rubbing at his eyes—he had to at least look strong for his pokemon.

“Luca…luca-rio,” Lucario murmurs and nuzzles his snout into Kukui’s side as he passes; Kukui takes a small moment to pat him, but mostly just pushes past him to get to the bedroom. He hears Lucario whimper softly, then hears his soft paws following him, whining and nudging him into the bedroom.

Lucario was trying to get him inside quickly. Oh, God, had something happened? 

Kukui swings the door open and rushes in, faster than he thought he was capable of. 

It was darker than a Black Hole Eclipse in the bedroom—Kukui built it that way, he liked to sleep in the complete darkness, but it wasn’t helpful right now; he couldn’t really see Ash.

Kukui leans down close to (what looked like) Ash’s head—he's breathing. He’s breathing, thank God.

Another sob escapes Kukui’s lips—he caught a glimpse of Ash’s face for a moment, and it was covered in blood and—and…no, it wasn’t real. It wasn’t real.

Kukui slides down, sitting on the floor and leaning his back against the side of the bed. He could hear Ash’s soft puffs of breath, rhythmic and reassuring.

He falls asleep again, knowing he’s about to have another nightmare, but at least he’s close to Ash this time.

… 

_ Kukui had a one-hand grip on the steering wheel, zoning out slightly as he pressed the gas pedal on his wife’s Camry. He was keeping a safe distance from Ash, but was also keeping a close eye out for his driving…shortcomings, which were many. But Ash was doing really well tonight. _

_ He let his hand bounce gently on the wheel along to the radio—classic rock. He was becoming a stereotypical dad with each coming day, Burnet was completely right. He was looking forward to seeing her tonight after the movie; that was why Ash and Kukui were driving separately anyway. Burnet said she wanted to celebrate something with him and Olivia. _

_ Kukui wondered what it could be. Olivia’s birthday was last month—  _

_Kukui didn’t have time to think. That truck was_ ** _barreling_** _right for him across the center line. Kukui whips the little sedan as much as it could—_

**_Ash. Was Ash hit?_ **

_ —Kukui lands in the ditch and doesn’t even turn off the ignition—he grabs his phone, he’s gonna need to call 911 probably, oh God—and climbs out of the ditch, scrambling onto the pavement. _

_ Oh my God. _

_ Oh—Oh my God. _

_ The Jeep was on its top, flipped over completely. The hazards were on. The whole left side was in shreds— _

**_The left side._ **

_ “ASH! ASH!”  _

_ Kukui sprinted—sprinted faster than he ever had in his life. He’s vaguely aware of traffic stopping on both sides, of a few people getting out of their cars, of a few people yelling, of a few people screaming. _

_ One of them was Ash. One of them was him. _

_ Kukui skidded to a stop at the mangled driver’s side door—shattered glass and ripped metal littered the pavement, plus something slick and shiny and… _ **_red_ ** _. _

_And there was Ash, eyes closed, stabbed through the stomach and leg twisted with exposed bone. His face was covered in blood—covered._ **_Covered_** _._

**_“ASH!?”_ **

_ … _

Kukui is woken by a gentle nudge on his shoulder. 

“…Kukui-hakase?” A soft, slightly raspy voice asks.  _ Ash’s _ voice.

“A-Ash—” Kukui scrambles up. 

He’s crying again. The sobs are wracking his chest as he tries to swallow them down.

Ash rolls awkwardly for a moment and flicks on the light on the bedside table. “Kukui-hakase, what— _ Kukui-hakase. _ ”

Kukui just stands there, taking in the beautiful sight of him  _ alive. _ He was squinting and propped up on his elbows, his left leg piled high on pillows and the rest of him covered in the thick comforter, plus the blankets his friends had given him—the one on top was the one covered in bidoofs, Kukui observes absentmindedly.

Kukui sniffs and shakes his head. “I—I’m sorry, did I wake you?” 

“No, you didn’t,” Ash lies—very clearly lies. He pats the bed in invitation. “Please.” 

Kukui sinks down, first sitting, but then Ash pulls him down to lay with him.

“I—I had come in to check on you, then I fell asleep again, and, uh,” Kukui trails off. “‘M sorry.” He quickly wipes his tears away and avoids Ash’s eye contact—those sweet brown eyes that drilled down into him, saw him like no one else could.

“You were having a nightmare?” Ash asks, gentle as can be.

“Well, y-yeah, that’s why I came in at first, just to see that you were okay, but then I fell asleep again and, uh, had another.” 

“I’m sorry,” Ash murmurs, softer than silk. “It’s a horrible feeling, isn’t it?”

Kukui can’t do much but nod.

“The crash, huh?”

Kukui nods again, bites his lip when the tears prick again. Glancing at Ash’s face, it looked like he was bleeding again—no, no, he’s okay, it was just his stupid brain.

“Kukui-hakase, please come here.” Ash holds out both hands. “You can hold me if you like. Sometimes it helps, when I have nightmares about Pikachu, if I just hold him.”

Kukui looks at him closely.

He wasn’t joking.

Kukui comes in close, being careful with his arms not to squeeze too tight, and cradles him close to his chest.

He could feel his heartbeat—strong. Alive.

And he could feel Ash holding him, too—gently, but his arms were definitely there on his shoulders. 

“You took care of me for a whole week, it’s time for someone to take care of you.”

Kukui isn’t sure how this happened, but he fell asleep like that, then had  _ zero _ nightmares.

…

**_Satoshi._ **

_ “Hi, Mew.” Ash shifts on his toes, feeling the cool marble floor of the Hall of Origin underneath his bare feet. He was only wearing his sleepclothes that he went to bed with, but here, his leg functions perfectly, his head never reels, and his abs remain tight and strong. _

**_I’m glad to see your Aura is replenishing. It is a rather useful skill, isn’t it?_ **

_ Ash shrugs—he doesn’t even use it that often; he’s just been trying to check up on everyone recently. “If that’s your way of saying you’re glad I’m healthier, then…thanks.”  _

**_Now, don’t be bashful, Satoshi, I’ve seen your power with my own eyes. Have you been training your offensive techniques?_ **

_ Aura Spheres, Mew meant. “…No, not really.” _

**_You really should, Satoshi. With all the trouble you get in, it would make a very valuable weapon._ **

_ “Who’s the one bringing the trouble to me, though?” Ash raises his eyebrow pointedly. _

**_Not all of it is my fault. I cannot control the action of other rogue Legendaries._ **

_ “Whatever you say.”  _

_ There’s silence in the hall; Dialga and Palkia must have been out, and Arceus never shows up with Mew. _

**_The human I chose…for your stability…at your time of death—he is not doing well._ **

_ “He isn’t used to death, Mew, of course he’s not doing well. Help him, please,” Ash finds himself begging. “Please, get Darkrai to stop.” _

**_Darkrai isn’t doing a thing. Darkrai was rather sad at your death. He would not harm you or the human._ **

_ Ash flinches, surprised. “Well, if he isn’t doing it, then send Cresselia to—”  _

**_I will send no one. He’s not important to any other legendary. His problems are uniquely human and I am under no obligation to assist._ **

_ “Mew, please—”  _

**_I tire of this conversation, Satoshi._ **

_ “Mew.” _

**_What is it, Chosen? Why has he upset you so?_ **

_ “Help Kukui-hakase. He deserves it.” _

_ Mew looks at him blankly, as if waiting for him to cave. Ash just stares back. _

**_I will not send a new solution. Use your Aura._ **

_ “ _ _ Wha _ _ — _ _ how would that help anything? _ _ ” _

_ Mew giggles, and Ash feels the pain and exhaustion of his real body moments before he wakes. _

* * *

  
  


“Alexa. Shut the fuck up,” Zhou murmurs, rolling herself out of bed and forcing the alarm off. Alexa spooks her a little bit from a cyber security standpoint, but Daveed insists on her so he can turn the lights off without leaving bed.

Alexa has no reaction to the insult. “ _ Good morning. It’s Monday, 5:15 AM. In Hau’oli City, the forecast is mostly sunny with a high of 78 degrees and storms into the evening—”  _

“Alexa, I said shut the fuck up.”

The little blue light flicks off.

A great start to the morning already, woo. She misses Daveed too much to deal with Alexa, much less deal with the fact that Nanu and Looker are going to be here in the apartment in an hour. She needs to at least clean the living room a bit.

Well, Nanu promised to bring her coffee, so that will be good.

…Does she have to wear a uniform today?

She probably should, for duty’s sake.

But…if her whole philosophy is  _ keep work at work and home at home, _ then what does today even  _ mean? _

Screw this, she’s wearing civilian clothes.

“Jum?” Jumpluff stirs from her position, curled up in the covers on the bed, when Zhou pats her top spore branch.

Zhou smiles—Jumpluff was the only good part in her mornings without Daveed. “Good morning, bǎo bèi.” 

Jumpluff grumbles—she isn’t a morning person either—but consents to Zhou scooping her up and bringing her over to the kitchen.

“Are you ready for breakfast?”

“Pluh!” She squeaks.

“Okay…” Zhou opens up the fridge, reaching for the meat drawer. “Here, sweetcheeks.”

As soon as Zhou plops the container of raw meat on the counter, Jumpluff bares her teeth and rips the plastic off, chowing down on the meat; now, she wasn’t barbaric, she didn’t splatter myoglobin all over the counter—she was neat and precise. But she was very,  _ very _ carnivorous. 

“Delicious, huh?” Zhou was used to her antics; after all, she was  _ her _ pokemon. A carnivorous diet made her quite the strong…proverbial watchdog. She’d get stares in public when Jumpluff goes ham on a steak, but it’s what Jumpluff wanted, so it’s what she’d get. Interpol sure trains their pokemon strangely, don’t they?

Jumpluff squeaks when she finishes the container off, licking her chops.

“Good girl.” On a whim, Zhou grabs a pop tart. She won’t be doing combat today—she’ll only be watching  _ her own house _ —so she can eat whatever she wants.

The door swings open. “Hey.” 

Jumpluff growls, taking a protective position over Zhou.

Zhou holds her back. “Nanu, 100kr—what are you doing here early?” Thank God she had changed out of her pajamas before they walked in. 

Looker steps in behind him. “I wanted to get a head start on more research.” 

Jumpluff snarls, then leaps out of her arms to float next to Looker, nearly foaming at the mouth with anger.

“W—Oh my God, why is this Jumpluff  _ feral _ ?” Looker sets down his briefcase and shields his face with his arms.

“She’s my guard dog.” Zhou whistles and she comes back. “Stand down.”

Jumpluff grumbles but melts into Zhou’s arms.

“Interpol gave you…her?” Looker murmurs.

“Yeah. Freaky, right?” She grins. “She’s perfect.”

“She’s terrifying, straight outta Little Shop of Horrors,” Nanu adds, a smug smile on his face. He lets Persian out; the two pokemon immediately hiss in greeting, then nuzzle each other and head off to cuddle together on the sectional.

Zhou rolls her eyes at them, then smiles warmly to Looker—she might as well be a hostess, even if he annoyed the shit out of her. “You can let out your partner, too, Agent, I promise I’ll keep Jumpluff from biting them.”

Looker just sighs and smiles politely. “Thank you for the offer, but, um. I lost my partner.”

Nanu, who had been splayed out on Zhou’s sofa, sits up. “Croagunk?”

Looker nods. “In the ‘shitstorm’ of Kalos,” he quotes Nanu. 

“Oh. I…I’m sorry, 100kr.” Nanu’s usually hard mug softens just slightly. “I hadn’t heard.”

“I wouldn’t have expected you to. Don’t apologize.” Looker glances at the loveseat in the living room. “Um, may I?”

“Yeah, sure, go ahead,” she invites, flustered and feeling a little bad that she had been so harsh on him about Kalos. She stuffs the last of the pop tart in her mouth and sits down with the group, grabbing her laptop off its charging station along the way.

Nanu sighs, passing Zhou her promised coffee and helping to unpack Looker’s briefcase—wow, they were cooperating. “We have 13 hours until the man comes around, so let’s make it count.” 

* * *

  
  


“Hey-y, Burne-et…” Kukui murmurs in a singsong tone, kissing her neck gently to try and wake her. 

She stirs, rolling on the couch cushions slightly. “Hrmgf…Kukui?” 

“Good morning, honey,” he greets.

“Morning…” She sits up, dragging a blanket with her and wrapping it around herself. “What time is it?”

Kukui smooths her bedhead lovingly, tucking a few strands of curls behind her ears. “7:30. Ash is feeling well enough and I got the go-ahead from Kap, so we’re gonna go to school.” 

“Oh, that’s really good!” Burnet exclaims, now more alert. “Where is he?”

“Here I am!” Ash yells from the kitchen. He was balancing on one leg against the fridge, guzzling milk from the carton.

“ _ Ash _ , what are you doing? Sit down!” Kukui scolds gently, jogging away from the couch and over to Ash, forcing him back into the wheelchair.

“No,” Ash whines. “Let me stand!”

Kukui sighs, exasperated. “Ash, we’ve been through this about a billion times. No.”

“With crutches?” Ash pleads. “Please, please, please, Professor, I don’t wanna go to school in a  _ wheelchair! _ Not around my friends!”

“There is nothing wrong with the wheelchair. It’s keeping you safe,” Kukui insists. “If you’re afraid they’re gonna judge you or something, I can assure you they won’t.”

Ash pouts. “I don’t want to.”

“Tough luck.”

“Professor,  _ please! _ ” 

Kukui looks at him with tight-pressed lips for a few seconds, then caves. “Fine, you kiapolō. But when you get tired, I get to carry you.” He grins slyly a bit at the last part.

“Deal!” Ash shoots back up from the wheelchair and resumes chugging the milk, the heel of his cast making scraping sounds on the wood that garner winces from Kukui.

“And also, you’re taking the wheelchair on the way there, if we’re walking,” Kukui declares. Ash frowns but says nothing.

“I could drive you guys…?” Burnet murmurs cautiously. She gets no positive reaction. “Or not, you guys can just walk, have fun. It’s gonna rain this afternoon, though, so just let me know and I can pick you up.”

Ash and Kukui nod, each wanting to avoid driving in their own way.

“What’re you doing at Aether today, Professor?” Ash hops over to the couch with a piece of peanut butter toast stuck in his mouth, then sits down next to her. 

She shrugs. “I don’t have any sort of cool project to speak of right now.” She yawns widely. “I almost could just call in sick. I want another hour or so of sleep,” she chuckles sheepishly.

Kukui joins them, sucking down his protein shake and passing Burnet her own piece of toast. “Then do it, honey. It’s been a  _ long _ few days, you deserve a break to just get some sleep.” 

She shakes her head. “This would be my tenth day off. I can’t miss more.” Burnet leans over and kisses both of them on the cheeks, then stands up with a groan. 

“Okay, well, take it easy today. Nap during your lunch break or something,” he suggests, brow furrowing in concern. “Or, even better, get Faba to take some of your workload. I could bribe him with old Masked Royal swag.” 

Burnet laughs at that comment. “Very pleasing idea, but I’m fine. You boys go on, I’ll see you this afternoon.”

Kukui shrugs, then kisses her again. “Okay, bye, I love you.”

Ash, frowning as Kukui was situating him in the wheelchair, brightens. “Bye Burnet-hakase!” He pauses for a moment. “Oh! And!” Disregarding Kukui, he hops up again and hugs her, leaning heavily on her. “Thank you for all your help with  _ Gureto Gyatsubi! _ I’m totally gonna ace the test today because of it!”

“You’re gonna take the test today!?” Burnet gasps. “We only finished last night! Didn’t you want to do an analysis first? Or look at the Sparknotes at least?”

“Eh.” Ash shrugs, letting go of her when Kukui scoops him up and sticks him in the wheelchair. “Anyway, gotta get going! See you later!”

“Okay, bye, boys, have a…good day…?” she calls out to them, but they’re already out the door. 

Ugh. Now she can finally do her morning barf without anyone seeing her. Stupid blueberry. She chucks the toast in the trash with a flick of the wrist and retreats into the hallway bathroom.

Once she’s thoroughly finished, she lifts her tank top, looking into the mirror at her torso. 

…She might have gotten bigger in the past three days. Does it even work that way? Her boobs are definitely bigger. It’s not even hot—it’s disgusting, painful. It’s a further reminder that she can’t ignore the stupid fuckin’ fetus blueberry lodged in her uterus.

Is she showing?

There’s no way.

But still…

Her phone buzzes—Wicke wants to know if she’s coming in.

_ yeah i’ll be there in 20 _

Burnet pulls her tank top back down and chokes a sob down. She wants this baby, of  _ course _ she does, but just…not now. Not now, not now, not now.

* * *

  
  


Ash has been staring at his paper for about four hours, it felt like. Third period ended ten minutes ago, and he has half the questions from chapter seven to go through.

He’s been held back by one question. 

_ Why does Tom let Gatsby and Daisy drive home together? _

“Pikapi,” Pikachu murmurs to him in concern, nuzzling his cheek on Ash’s shaking hand. “Pika…”

“Shh,” Ash places the hand on his head, quieting him. 

“Ash? I’m not sure your Pikachu will be able to help you.” Mrs. Torres raises a thin eyebrow at him. “I thought you said you were ready.”

Ash shakes his head. “No, Mrs. Torres, I’m ready, I just have a couple questions left.” 

“Okay. Well, Battle Mechanics is fourth period for you, right? Should I go ahead and let Professor Kukui know where you are?” 

_ Why does Tom let Gatsby and Daisy drive home together? _

“No, ma’am, it’s alright, I’ll be finished in just a sec.”

He grips his pencil, putting it to the paper.

The lead snaps.

_ Why does Tom let Gatsby and Daisy drive home together? _

His aura was all over the place—he could feel it in his fingers, on the tip of his nose, on his kneecaps, on his toes, on every surface of his body, swirling, agitated, like a stormy sea.

He feels sweat on his temples. He feels his cheeks flush. 

He sees little tiny stars in his rapidly blackening vision.

_ Why did Tom let Gatsby and Daisy drive home together? _

He grits his teeth.  _ Tom let them drive home together because he thought Daisy loved him only and didn _ _ ’ _ _ t  _ _ think _ _ that Daisy was going to drive and kill someone while driving. _

Wait, why did he write that?

He scratches out the last part.

Onto the next question.  _ What color is Gatsby’s car? _

His pencil flies.  _ It’s a red Jeep. _

_ It’s a red Jeep. _

Ash feels his trachea tighten, his heart flutter, his leg and abdomen and temples throb. His vision gets a little blanker.

**_Murderer. Killer. Philip Wilson. Dead. Should have just been you. Killer. Killerkillerkillerkillerkillerkillerkillerkiller._ **

With each moment, it’s getting harder to breathe.

No, no, no, no, this isn’t happening,  _ no. _

_ Gatsby _ _ ’ _ _ s car is pale yellow. _

Ash flips the paper over—if chapter seven has a backside, he’s gonna combust.

No. It has no back. He finished. He finished the test.

Ash fumbles with his wildly shaking hands and grasps the crutches leaning against his desk, fitting them under his arm and grabbing the test with a spare finger. “I, um. Here, Mrs. Torres.”

She gets up, meeting him halfway with a look of pity in her eye that makes Ash want to barf. “Thank you, Ash.”

Before she could say anything more, Ash takes off as fast as he can out of the classroom and down the hall. His elbows quiver, making the crutches go out in odd directions. 

He can hear Pikachu calling out for him, but it’s so far away, and Pikachu shouldn’t have Ash around anyway, it’ll just put him in danger.

Ash can feel the metal of the crutches bend as he squeezes it and accidentally lets aura through his fingers.

He’s just going, going far away from Gatsby and Daisy and Myrtle and the pale-yellow car and to somewhere else,  _ anywhere _ but here, because he’s about to die. He’s gonna die, right here, there’s no escaping it, he needs to go faster—

He runs into something. He looks up—his vision’s black on the edges, but he recognizes Kukui-hakase.

“Woah there, Ash, be careful!” Kukui scolds him gently.

Ash lets himself melt a little bit, leaning on Kukui and feeling like he's about to black out.

Kukui’s eyes go wide at the sight of this. “O-oh, shit, Ash, what happened?” 

Ash shakes his head. “N-nothin’, I just…just got a little spooked for a sec.” When Kukui cocks his head quizzically at him, Ash elaborates, “Kinda forgot that I’d have to answer questions on car wrecks.”

Kukui’s eyes widen, then he shakes his head. “You don’t look like you feel so good. C’mon, let’s sit down,” Kukui encourages, helping him slide to the floor.

“I gotta go to class, Professor…” Ash mumbles, but stops when Kukui procures a gatorade bottle from who-knows-where and holds it to his lips. Ash takes it from his grasp and sips at it, making the black in his vision dissipate slightly.

“This was a bad idea. You should have just stayed home, keiki, I’m sorry,” Kukui murmurs.

Ash lowers the bottle for a moment. “No, it’s okay, I just need a minute to drink this and then I’ll be fine.” Ash takes another few sips. “Where's everyone? Isn’t this fourth period?”

“I told them to take a break outside until you got out of the test,” Kukui explains. He looks up and down the hallway, then recognizes Ash’s embarrassment. “Don’t worry, no one’s here but us.” 

Ash sighs and lets himself slump against Kukui’s steady, strong side as he finishes off the gatorade.

* * *

  
  


Burnet looks at the agenda on her desk—she should be in the x-ray diffraction room, figuring out why Ultra Beast DNA is triple-stranded and how its nucleotides fit together.

But she shouldn’t be doing that—she  _ can’t _ do that, not with the blueberry. In fact, she probably can’t go to any part of section F, there’s too much random radiation hanging around and decaying.

“Professor Burnet.” Faba leans over her desk. “I thought we were meeting in 3F twenty minutes ago.”

“I can’t today.”  _ Or for the next 34 weeks. _ “Let’s do the sequencing machines instead.”

“But the schedule says—”

“I don’t give a damn about the schedule. We’re sequencing.” Burnet pushes herself out of the chair and walks as gracefully as she can to the exit of the office while her coat flutters…she was wearing one of Kukui’s lab coats today—it covers her midsection a little bit, even if she isn’t really showing. It also smells like her husband, and that’s a small comfort in these absolutely strange times.

Faba murmurs, probably trying to be low enough so Burnet wouldn’t hear but that the young male intern sorting files could snicker at it, “Oh, rather hormonal, aren’t we?” 

Burnet stops and turns around slowly, voice icy. “What did you just say to me?”

“I—nothing, Professor,” he backtracks.

Burnet hisses through her teeth, “Get the  _ fuck _ out of my office.  _ Go _ .” 

Faba laughs. “Now, come on, Professor, take a little joke—” 

“I said  _ get the fuck out!” _ Burnet nearly screams. 

Faba huffs and rolls his eyes, but scurries out—like a little rat, Burnet observes.

“Jesus, fuck,” she murmurs to herself. Burnet leans against her desk, gripping the edge with one hand and cradling her forehead with her other hand—it pounded.

Pump heels click on the hallway tile and Burnet stands up straight as a ramrod. Lusamine’s totally gonna call her out for “out-of-hand criticism.”

But Burnet looks down at the feet approaching and recognizes the gold-toed boots—Wicke. She grins, excitement glinting in her eyes. “I heard a ‘get the fuck out’ and saw Faba doing his little rat scurry. Gimme the tea.” 

“Wicke! Oh, thank God, I thought you were Lusamine for a second, get in here,” Burnet invites, closing the door behind her. “Well, Faba was being a little misogynistic bitch and I told him off. I think he was trying to impress the intern—“ 

Burnet stops as she realizes the intern is still in her office, holding a few files, mouth gaping and looking beyond terrified.

“Oh, I-I’m sorry, hon,” Burnet murmurs, feeling bad for the dude—he didn’t look more than nineteen…that’s only a little older than Ash. She felt a weird sort of protection over the dumbstruck intern. “Why don’t you go take a lunch break, okay? I’ll let you know if I’ve got any work for you.”

“Y-yes, ma’am.” The poor kid nods numbly and flies out.

Wicke bursts into laughter as soon as the door closes behind him. “I—Burnet, he looked like he  _ pissed _ himself with fear! What did you do!?” 

“Nothing! Nothing, I swear to God, I just told Faba to get out!” Burnet chokes out between peals of laughter.

“Burnet, I need your power,” Wicke says, still with a hand on her belly and laughing. 

“I don’t even know, I wasn’t really even that angry…Wow, I bet Faba’s gonna go tell the lower decks that I’m a cold, power-hungry bitch again,” Burnet scoffs. 

“Faba can tell as many lies as he wants, the interns are still gonna come flocking to you. They love you—you called that little one  _ hon! _ Don’t worry about Faba. The only reason he’s even  _ here _ is for Lusamine to feel like Mohn is still here…in a sad way.” Wicke shakes her head, seeming to have gotten herself sad. And it was sad. But then her mood flips again, and she’s inquisitive. “What did he provoke you with?” she asks, eyes glinting once more.

“Wicke, you’re such a gossip,” Burnet laughs at her. Alarm bells ring in her brain. Shit, what if she knows? If Wicke knows, then all of Aether knows, then Faba can  _ really _ get her with the hormone jokes. 

Wicke pouts, but then laughs. “That’s me!” 

Burnet starts unpacking her own lunch—she might as well distract Wicke with a snack, like a little toddler. A brilliant toddler that could do the proof for Fermat’s Last Theorem in three minutes flat.

Burnet smiles at the little note Kukui left her.  _ I LOVE YOU KU'UIPO! _ She sifts through what he packed…could she eat a sandwich? Possibly. She could definitely have the pretzels. She fishes out the baggie and sets it between her and Wicke.

“You beautiful soul,” Wicke moans. 

Burnet rolls her eyes. “It’s only pretzels, Wicke, don’t get too excited.” But this was good—Wicke was distracted. Now she could ask, “Hey, when you’re doing the schedule next, can you take me off of stuff in F, give it to Faba?”

Wicke shrugs. “Sure, if you want. But I thought you love x-ray diffraction! Why leave Faba to do it? You could get the _Nobel_ if you figure out the structure! Like Rosalind Franklin, except actually living and not dying from radiation!” 

Burnet laughs—she actually hit the nail on the head, in a weird way. “Well, I dunno, I’m no geneticist. I think I want to spend more time with my gadgets. The wormhole generator could always use a few improvements,” she bullshits.

“Okay, if that’s what you want! I’ll take your name on the Nobel instead!” Wicke shrugs and giggles. “God, I missed you so much these past few days! Only Lusamine and Faba around this place…” She motions a gun to her temple.

“Oh, I bet you’d have  _ loved _ to be in my place, because that was such a fucking  _ ball! _ ” Burnet suddenly snaps.

A beat of silence passes. Wicke’s mouth hangs open just like the intern’s.

Burnet realizes what she just did and dread fills her insides, like a lead weight in her stomach. “Jesus, I am so sorry. God! Shit, Faba was right about the hormonal thing…I am so sorry.” 

Fucking  _ fetus _ , making her all mood-swing-y and bitchy.

Wicke’s mouth closes. “Nope, my fault, that was insensitive. I’m sure it was incredibly hard, I didn’t mean to…y’know, trivialize it.”

“It was  _ not _ your fault. I’m just…jumpy today, I guess.” Burnet stands up with a groan and hugs Wicke behind the desk chair. “Thanks for putting up with me. It’s been such a weird week.” 

“'Putting up with me?’ Wow, we sink to new self-deprecating depths.” Wicke looks at her, probing. “…Do you want to talk about anything, or…I promise I won’t tell anyone.” 

Burnet shakes her head. “It’s okay. Thanks for offering.”  _ Lil’ old me and fetus, we’re on our own on this one.  _

But at least blueberry isn’t in danger of being irradiated now, thanks to Kukui’s pretzels. 

* * *

  
  


Ash sighs as he slumps down against the big banyan tree in the courtyard—it was seventh period for him, gym, so he just decided to skip. He would only be a burden and a mood killer around the class; he has been all day, actually, or at least it felt like it. Everyone was looking at him weird, even the underclassmen…especially the underclassmen. He had, like, thirty middle schoolers ambush him at lunch, just  _ looking _ at him.

This has never happened after any of his other deaths. Why now? This death  _ sucks _ .

He doesn’t even have Pikachu to complain to—he was preoccupied, roped into playing with Togedemaru.

He sighs again. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Satoshi, it’s counterproductive. He opens up his world history textbook in attempts to try and catch up from the past few days. 

He doesn’t get very far.

He feels the aura first—a sharp firework. Then, the footsteps, and then, the bark.

“…Luca?” 

Ash looks up. “Hey there, Lucario. Did Professor Kukui send you?” Maybe he wanted him to come back or something.

Lucario shakes his head. An image passes over him—he let himself out of his ball. He felt his aura.

“You were worried about me?”

Lucario nods.

“Oh, that’s real nice of you, Lucario, but I’m alright.”

Lucario shakes his head again. What drew him out of his ball was the sudden spike and drop of Ash’s aura.

“Okay, maybe that’s true, I am feeling a little tired, I guess,” Ash admits. “Here, come sit.”

Lucario sinks down to sit next to Ash. He hesitates, nostrils flaring, then nuzzles him with a wet nose.

Ash giggles. “Yosh, yosh, yosh,” he murmurs, scratching his ears and stroking his neck.

Lucario goes still for a moment, then grasps Ash’s hand against his muzzle.

“What?” 

Lucario hadn’t just come to check on him—he wanted advice.

“What can I help you w—…” Ash trails off as the images bombard him. 

Kukui-hakase running down the stairs, tears in his eyes, fear in Lucario’s heart. 

It made Ash’s problems feel…so small.

“…You want me to help you with Kukui-hakase?” 

Lucario nods. 

Another set of images—Kukui, years ago, petting Lucario—no, Riolu. Ash felt it…it sent a shiver down his spine, quickly replaced with an incomprehensible warmth. Feelings of acceptance, of love, of belonging.

Lucario was comparing the two Kukui’s. Was this his fault somehow?

“Oh, oh  _ no, _ Lucario, this isn’t your fault at all.” 

What should he do?

“…Lucario, let me try something real quick, see if it works, okay?” Ash asks.

Lucario cocks his head, but nods.

Ash takes a deep breath and brings Lucario’s paw to his own cheek, mirroring their pose before. He concentrated his aura as much as he could, then tried to imagine a conduit from his brain to Lucario’s—he needed to show him the dream.

Shock in Lucario, then pride, then confusion.

Mew? Mew is real?

“Mew is real. And you saw—Mew thinks I can help Kukui-hakase somehow with his nightmares.”

Lucario looks away, thinking.

His Trainer didn’t have any nightmares for the last part of the night. You were sleeping next to him, correct?

“Mm-hm…we might have been touching.” Ash purses his lips as he thinks. “You think it’s a touch thing? I accidentally was, like…giving him some sort of comfort with my aura without thinking?”

Lucario nods. He thinks so. It was like his accelerated healing—it could somehow be transferred, like he just did to show Lucario the dream. 

“Oh…” Ash giggles slightly. “That’s  _ cool _ .” 

Lucario laughs, barking and yipping with joy. Ash was a cool little pup; he doesn't know any other human with a Lucario's aura.

“I’ll tell you that story, if you’d like to hear it.”

Lucario nods.

“…Wait, did you call me  _ pup _ ?” Ash laughs. “My aura’s, like, a thousand years old. You’re the pup!” Ash teases.

Lucario whines in indignation. Tell the story, he insists.

“Okay.” Ash takes a deep breath. “A long time ago, ‘bout a thousand years ago, in the kingdom of Rota…” 

* * *

  
  


Kapono smushes his cheek into his hand.

He’s been staring at his charting screen for  _ hours _ . What he wouldn’t give to see that tiny ball of sunshine’s face right now, or even his hunk-of-meat brother.

His desk phone starts to ring and he jumps, yelping. “Hello?” He answers, once put back together.

_ “Kapono Mahelona?” _

“This is he.”

_ “I’d like to confirm an appointment with the Hau’oli OBGYN Center for seven PM on Friday.” _

He sits up a little straighter. “Sure, that still works.”

_ “Then we’ll see you then.” _

“Thank you.” 

Kapono moves to hang up, but the phone squawks again.  _ “And Nurse Boyd says hello,” _ the receptionist giggles. 

Kapono laughs—that’s how he got his appointment so quickly…she always did have feelings for him, despite what she said when they broke up. “Well, you tell her I’ll see her soon, okay?”  _ To let her know I’m gay, that is. _ “Alola.” 

He hangs up, laughing his ass off, and dials up Burnet’s number. 

_ “Professor Burnet here.” _

“Hey, it’s your favorite midwife.” 

_ “Pfft. Whaddya want?” _

“The office just called me. Friday at seven still works, right?”

_ “If I don’t puke myself to death by then.” _

Kapono frowns. “You should have told me you were having bad morning sickness. Want me to call something in for you?”

_ “Naw, it’s only four days. Got any advice, though?” _

“A little plate of crackers right next to your bed. Eat ‘em before getting up.” 

_ “Being that I am currently couch-surfing and Kukui’s being extra protective, we’ll see how that goes,” _ she chuckles _. “Your day going okay?” _

“Yeah, boring without Ash. I have to finally do actual work.” Kapono twirls in his desk chair. “How’s he?”

_ “Kukui called me about an hour ago when they got out of school, said that he nearly passed out around midday but otherwise was okay, maybe a little…vacant.” _

Kapono nods even though he’s on the phone. “I don’t love hearing either of those, but I’m also not surprised. Losing three pints of blood, having your heart stop, then re-concussing yourself isn’t conducive to full consciousness. Just make sure he gets lots of rest this afternoon, preferably with his legs above his head.” Kapono sighs. “As for the vacancy, do you think it’s just because he’s tired, or do you think it’s a little more psychological?”

_“I honestly couldn’t tell you._ _Kukui said at school he was a little withdrawn, spent most of the day just with his pokemon.”_ Her voice is strained and worried now. _“I thought it was just because it’s his first day back, but is it something more…post-traumatic?”_

“Well, it’s hard to say for sure at this point because Ash is hardly physiologically out of the woods, but both Ash and Kukui have been through a huge trauma that won’t likely play out nice and gentle.” Kapono winces. “It’s too early to tell, I think, from a macro-symptom kindof perspective. He’s going to therapy, though, right?”

_ “He goes tomorrow.” _

“Cool. That might help him work out stuff that he’s keeping in. And Kukui? Is he seeing someone?”

_ “Not that I’m aware of. His sponsor called him a few days ago and checked in on him, but that’s not real therapy and he knows it.” _

Kapono leans back farther in his chair. “I can talk to him about it , see how he reacts. He needs something—more than AA. I’m glad to hear he’s still in touch with his sponsor, though. Is he clean? Do you know?”

_ “He says he is.” _

“That’s great news.” Kapono pauses. “And you, Burnet, I’m sure this week has been hell. Being pregnant is just the cherry on top.”

_ “Hah. Well, hopefully things will calm down a bit and I can tell them soon…weird question, but Kap, am I showing?”  _

“To be honest, I wasn’t looking super closely on Friday night, so I can’t say for sure, but at…what, six weeks? Unless you’ve got twins, probably not. You might be a little bloated, though, and that’s normal, and it’s also very normal and healthy to start putting on weight. Do you  _ feel _ like you’re showing? Completely serious question, your pants fitting?” 

_ “Yeah, I can still button shit, don’t worry. I just…I dunno, I think I’m paranoid. There’s no way.” _

“Well, if it’s twins, tita, you might be.”

_ “Oh, God, Kap, don’t make me even consider that.” _

Kapono laughs. “It’ll all become more clear on Friday…are you sure you don’t just want to go ahead and tell Kukui? Having him there will probably be much easier than having me there.”

_ “No. I can’t. Besides, I’m…” _

“What?”

_ “I’m a little worried I’ll miscarriage.” _

“What makes you say that? Have you ever had any miscarriages before?”

_ “Yeah. Really early ones, but yeah.” _

“Oh. Burnet, I’m so sorry.”

_ “It’s not a sob story. Kukui always takes it harder than I do anyway. I just…this would be my first time actually having a pregnancy that made it to the first ultrasound, and I really want it to be…real if I decided to tell them during this shitstorm. The last thing anyone needs is to get their hopes up and then get crushed if it doesn’t work out.” _

“I get that. But if you’ve made it this far, then congratulations. By eight weeks you can be even more confident of it.” 

_ “Whew. I can do this.” _

“Hell yeah, you can do this, tita.”

_ “Alright, Kap, I think I’ve given you a thorough break from your work. I will see you later.” _

“I’m coming over to check up on your keiki, then talk story and make plate tomorrow, ‘kay? I’ll see you then.”

_ “I’ll stock the fridge, then. Alola.” _

“Alola.” 

* * *

  
  


“Jumpluff. Stand down. Come cuddle.”

Jumpluff releases her jaws from Nanu’s pant legs, then floats over to Zhou’s lap and nuzzles into her t-shirt.

Nanu sighs. “Thank Christ.” 

It’s 6:24.

They worked on evidence-gathering for about eleven hours straight, then they watched Schitt’s Creek and ate microwave ramen. It felt like Looker was in college again.

He had  _ fun _ . Zhou and Nanu were decent people, even if they fought every other hour about something or other.

“100kr! Cheer up!” Zhou says, passing him a glass of bourbon. “When they don’t come 'round,  _ we _ do a round.” 

“Thank you, Deputy. I look forward to our toast.” Looker grins at her and she grins back, but her face falls when she sees Nanu.

Nanu scoffs. “Don’t go drinking yet. I want you both to be strapped and vested.” 

They just look at each other.

Nanu glares daggers at them. “That was an order.” 

Looker pushes himself off the loveseat and offers a hand to Zhou; she looks at it for a solid three seconds, then takes it. They had left their gear on the kitchen table. With swift motions, they don their vests and load their weapons—G22 for Zhou, Walther PPK for Looker. 

She laughs when she sees his gun. “James Bond to the core, aren’t we?”

He would normally protest, but he grins and sticks it in his hols—

(People say that scary things happen in slow motion, but that’s not always true. This exchange took less than 90 seconds, and Looker’s reaction time wasn’t going to be enough, he later learns.)

They all stand at attention. Those were footsteps down the hallway.

Nanu makes quick signals and they take position—Nanu at point, Looker on left flank, and Zhou on right flank.

They all jump when the sound of the lock being shot off echoes through the room. 

All three guns are raised.

In a split second, the man enters.

Looker notices how he’s scrawny and tall, how his gun shakes in his hand.

“Put the weapon down!” Nanu instructs.

The boy—that’s all he was, a  _ boy _ —hesitates for a moment. He looks at Nanu, then looks straight to Zhou.

Before anyone could do  _ anything _ , three rounds go off.

Zhou falls.

“She’s hit!” Someone screams—Looker can’t remember if it’s Nanu or him.

Nanu’s on the boy faster than lightning, silent and deadly and enraged, shooting him point-blank between the eyes over and over again. 

Looker isn’t sure how many rounds Nanu let off, but once the boy was down, Looker holsters his gun and rushes to Zhou’s side. 

“Were you hit!?” He asks rather dumbly. She was already trying to sit up, but there was blood running all down her right arm. The edge of her vest got hit; she was shot under her right collarbone. Looker’s on autopilot now—he presses his hand to the wound while blood leaks out between his fingers.

He looks over to Nanu—still shooting the kid. He must not be out of ammo yet. “Nanu! He’s  _ dead! _ ”

Zhou mumbles something, and Jumpluff leaps up and starts  _ mauling _ the assassin’s face. Nanu staggers back, his gun smoking, and drops his weapon. Then he kneels at Zhou’s side opposite Looker.

“Chief, I’m f-fine, get…off…” Zhou tries to brush Looker’s hand off but Nanu just pushes her down. 

Nanu growls into his radio, “11-99! Shots fired, officer down!” He looks down at her and replaces Looker’s hand with his own, nearly snarling when Looker doesn’t let go immediately. 

Zhou just looks up at Nanu, fear in her eyes, but an immeasurable amount of trust in them, too.

There are sirens outside already, drowning out the sound of the rain against glass—how much time has passed? 

“Looker!  _ Looker! _ ” Nanu screams. Had he been staring out the window that long?

…He used the name.

Zhou was dying quickly.

Why did Looker agree to take this case?

* * *

  
  


Two islands away, a boy and a Lucario hold each other on the porch overlooking the sea, filled with the certain dread that something very bad just happened. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oop
> 
> hope you all are safe and healthy and happy!!!
> 
> let me know how you're doing ⬇️


	13. backtrack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> looker & nanu & zhou = Damaged™
> 
> burnet & blueberry = Angsty™
> 
> ash & every pokemon in existence = On The Same Wavelength, Literally™

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you saphh as always and thank you aedee for the beta!
> 
> a big chunk of this is just about pokemon; i apologize in advance, i'm not great at writing them compared to humans. but! i just had to include who i thought kukui's 6th mon was!
> 
> enjoy!

_ “Well, I was right, wasn’t I?” _

“Any time but now,” Nanu hisses into the phone as he searches for some sort of private place to go to in the crowded trauma lobby. He finds none. 

_ “Ah, unfortunate circumstances, hmm?” _

Nanu growls, “Do  _ not _ mock me.”

_ “I suppose your Interpol tag-along is convinced I am a reliable source now?” _

“Yes.” Nanu steals a glance at him—his eyes seem to be trained on a speck of something on the tile floor.

_ “Oh! Was that a defensive tone I heard? He’s part of your little pseudo-family now of Interpol misfits?” _

“It’s none of your concern.” Nanu sighs. “Look, can we have a rain check on this?”

_ “Mm, if you wish. I was just getting to the good part, though,” _ Giovanni teases.

“Make it quick.”

_ “Have you checked the body of the assassin yet?” _

Nanu straightens. “Why?”

_ “You might find something interesting in his jacket pocket.” _

“Did you plant evidence on him?” Nanu hisses, low and angry.

_ “Remember, I am helping you, Nanu. Complain too much and I’ll stop.”  _

The line clicks off.

“Giovanni, huh?” Looker chuckles nervously next to him, shifting in his uncomfortable vinyl chair. “He was right, I guess.” 

“He was, wasn’t he?” Nanu flips a hard glare at him. “Maybe if you had trusted me in the first place, we wouldn’t be here.”

Looker doesn’t say anything. He just looks at Nanu, with sorrow in his eyes that Nanu couldn’t—and wouldn’t dare to—fathom. 

“What’s your real name, Looker?”

He doesn’t hesitate. “David.” He laughs quietly. “Rather underwhelming, isn’t it?”

Nanu lands a strong grip on Looker’s shoulder and the man flinches. “David. This time, we were lucky, and Rachel isn’t supposed to die. But next time…” 

He nods away the glimmer of tears in his eyes. “Understood, sir.” 

“For God’s sake, call me Nanu.” 

* * *

  
  


Jessie peeks out from the food truck window as the Regional Professor and their Satoshi walk the path up to the school. “Jari-boy looks like shit,” she observes.

“How compassionate of you,” James grunts from behind the fryer. 

“No, I’m serious. I mean, that kid has died, what, seven times? Eight?” She bites the edge of her acrylic nails as she watches him limp along with his crutches…he was smiling, but she knew him too well to not see the pain lining his expression. “He looks so much worse than those times.” 

“Well, the twerp _died, really_ died, like a normal human, Jess. Not some fake death like the other times.” Meowth hops onto the counter and adjusts his cap. “Even The Boss said we should give him a break.” 

“I always knew he shouldn’t have gotten that license.” Jessie sighs. “Well, at least there’s James texting Tall Twerp every five seconds to make sure the kid is actually okay.” 

James smiles, tipping his hat. “That’s how I was raised. I asked if he would be in need of a casserole, but he said no.”

“Did you send a casserole anyway?” Jessie deadpans.

“Of course, would you expect less?” He dropped it off on Kukui’s back porch last night, complete with a note on his monogrammed stationery in his best calligraphy. Nanny and Pop-Pop taught him well.

Meowth pats James’s shoulder. “That’s my Jimbo, always the gentleman.”

Jessie frowns now that the spotlight is off her. “Okay, okay, back to Jari-boy!”

James shrugs. “What about him? We can’t steal his Pikachu, Giovanni made that abundantly clear.” 

“ _ Why _ , though?” Jessie balls her fists up when she sees Ash nearly trip. “Giovanni has always insisted that we stay involved with him! Why stop now?”

“Like I said before, to give him a break! The Boss knows what’s good for him.” Meowth nods sagely.

Jessie raises an eyebrow. “The Boss caring about Ash's—or  _ anyone’s _ —feelings? That’s a good one, Meowth.” 

He shakes his head. “Oy vey, Jess, ain’t none of it our concern. The Boss got his reasons and that’s all he needs.” 

The brightly smiling Professor snaps them out of their discussion. “Alola.” 

Jessie plasters on her  _ customer service _ face. “What can I get you, sir?” 

“Two honey malasadas, please,” he orders, winking at Ash who was practically vibrating with excitement.

Jessie nods and grabs two of the warm, fluffy delicacies, placing them in their parchment bag emblazoned with _Bewear Brand Malasadas._ She passes them to the Professor, polite smiles all around.

He pulls his wallet out of his pocket. “How much do I owe you?” 

Jessie pauses for a moment, then says, “It’s on the house.”

“Hayaku genkini nya-ttene,” Meowth murmurs, directed at Ash.

He stands there dumbstruck for a second, then gathers up his crutches and bows gently. “A-arigato gozaimasu.” 

“Thank you so much.” The Professor—an ungodly tanned man who shouldn’t be allowed to parade around shirtless, Jessie thinks—grins and places a hand to the small of Ash’s back, guiding him to a bench in the school’s courtyard to eat his malasada. 

Once they’re out of earshot sufficiently, James murmurs, “Do you think Satoshi knows…?”

Meowth shakes his head. “I doubt it, that numbskull won’t know it’s us ’til this garb is off.” 

Jessie doesn’t bother joining in the conversation; she just keeps observing her jari-boy with a concerned eye.

* * *

“Any questions?”

Wicke, Burnet, and Faba say nothing. It had been a fairly boring staff meeting, nothing of particular interest. 

Lusamine clasps her hands together. “Okay, well…adjourned, then. I’d like a report about that power surge in section G last night on my desk by the end of the day, Faba.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” He nods and scurries out. Rat.

Wicke giggles. “I’m off to the Conservation Area. Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you, Ms. Lusamine.” 

Burnet follows her out when Wicke waves her on. “Same here.” 

Lusamine clears her throat and sits down at her desk. “Actually, Professor, could I have a moment with you?” 

Burnet pauses, feeling the dread in her stomach like a lead weight. Lusamine saw the schedule change, probably, and was gonna ask about why she requested to be off section F.

Wicke lets out a tiny wince, but once the doors close behind her, Lusamine starts talking. “I, um, wanted to touch base with you on something.”

“Sure, what’s going on?” Burnet cocks her head, feigning confusion.

“It’s your…attire, Professor.” 

Burnet was actually confused now. “What about it?” She can’t help but chuckle in slight relief. Whatever this was, it was easily fixable.

“It’s just rather…tight-fitting.” Lusamine gestures to her chest. “A bit unprofessional.” 

Oh, shit. Oh,  _ shit _ , no, her fucking  _ pregnancy _ boobs! Burnet adjusts Kukui’s lab coat over herself, hoping to mask them while her face is probably redder than the devil himself. 

_ Don’t cry. Don’t yell. Don’t cry. Don’t yell.  _ “I—okay. Okay,” she stammers out.

“I’m sorry, Burnet, you know…there are just so many male staff members here, we don’t want them distracted, hmm?” She smiles, sweeter than saccharine. “I also noticed…”

Burnet waits, stewing quietly, while Lusamine finds her words.

“You pulled yourself out of section F.”

Burnet swallows and nods. Lusamine isn’t stupid. She fucking  _ knows _ .

Lusamine stands up from her desk  and reaches her hand out to touch Burnet’s slightly bloated midsection, but Burnet flinches. “Don’t!” She finds herself yelling, backing away like Lusamine was going to hit her.

Lusamine bristles. “I-I see. I apologize.” She chuckles nervously, withdrawing her hand.

“Is t-there anything else, Lusamine?” Burnet tightens the lab coat around her, folding in on herself.

“N-no, no, that’ll be all—” 

Burnet cuts her off, turning on her heel and moving straight for the door. She could already feel the hot tears of anger, sadness, confusion,  _ frustration _ flowing down her cheeks as she pulls the lab coat even tighter around her, trying to breathe deeply and smell Kukui’s cologne on it, but instead choking on a sob

“Burnet, what did she say to you…what happened!?” Wicke shrieks as she passes her.

“It’s nothing!” Burnet’s hand finds her office’s door handle and swings it open. As soon as she’s inside, she locks it and sinks down to lean her head against the thick oak door. 

She starts to cry, full-on ugly tears and sobs and eye-rubbing.

God, this sucks.

She wants to go home.

“…Ma’am? Are…you alright?” 

She snaps her head up and scrambles to her feet—the intern. The  _ fucking _ intern was watching her cry. “I, s-shit, yes, I’m fine, thank you.” She sniffs and waves her hand gently. “Go on, hon, Wicke will find something for you to do.” 

“Y-yes, ma’am, I’m sorry,“ he murmurs as he scampers to the door.

“Hey, Oliver, wasn’t it?” 

He nods, startled by Burnet remembering his name.

“Free advice. Don’t apologize for things that aren’t your fault, you hear?” 

A small wave of deja vu hits her—she’s said the same thing to Ash, multiple times.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Burnet smiles as gently as she can without it crumbling into a grimace. He nods quietly and closes the door behind him.

She sinks down to the floor again, this time pulling out her phone.

_ hey i love you _

**hubby:** **_Hey I love you more_**

 **hubby:** **_What’s up_**

_ nothing _

**hubby:** **_False_**

 **hubby:** **_Tell me what_** ** _’_** ** _s wrong_**

_ weird day at work _

**hubby:** **_Come home early?_**

_ no _

_ actually _

_ maybe _

_ well _

_ no _

_ don _ _ ’ _ _ t want lusamine madder than she already is _

**hubby:** **_Oh no_**

 **hubby:** **_Need me to come and kick some ass?_**

_ no lmao lusamine would literally impale you with her nine inch heels _

**hubby:** **_Screw her_**

**hubby:** **_Come home pleeeaaaase I wanna hug you_ **

_ ok _

**hubby:** **_YAYYYYYYY_**

_ aw you _ _ ’ _ _ re cute when you _ _ ’ _ _ re enthusiastic _

**hubby:** **_Not cuter than you!_**

_ pffft _

_ i love you _

_ again _

**hubby:** **_I love you more!!!!! again!!!!_**

Burnet smiles at her phone for another few seconds, looking at the  lock screen—she, Kukui, and Ash together after the exhibition match, Kukui kissing her cheek while wrapping his right arm around her and his left arm around their beaming Champion. God, that felt like so long ago. It was one of the happiest moments of her life.

She rubs her eyes one last time, stuffs her laptop and some miscellaneous paperwork she could do from home into her purse, and strides out of her office with some newfound confidence. 

* * *

  
  


“Welcome home, Professor Burnet!” Ash proclaims, holding out the flowers that he and Professor Kukui got for her—Ash couldn’t remember the name now, but they started with a  _ P _ and they smelled good.

Burnet, looking rather deflated at first, brightens significantly and takes the bouquet from his hands with a kiss on the cheek. “Ash! You are the  _ sweetest! _ ” 

She moves to step in the doorway, but Kukui scoops her up into a huge hug that leaves her legs curled around his hips. Kukui pouts momentarily, his pursed lips quivering with barely-held-back laughter. “Am I sweet, too?” 

Ash doesn’t hear Burnet’s answer—they start to make out. Slightly repulsed, Ash hops out of their way and farther into the living room, flopping down on the couch with Pikachu on his lap. 

He scratches his partner’s cheeks. “Pikachu, how would you like grooming time for everyone, huh?”

“Pika! Pikapika!” Pikachu exclaims excitedly, jumping up and down on his good leg. His fur was a little dirtier than Ash liked it to be—which was still cleaner than a lot of other trainers’ pokemon. It wasn’t that Ash had high standards, really, but he felt like his partners deserved the attention and care that came with grooming. And he hadn’t gotten that much one-on-one TLC with each of them the past few days, either; grooming would be great.

“Okay, buddy, why don’t you round everybody up and then we’ll get started?” 

Pikachu scampers off and squeaks loudly down the stairs, “PI-KA,” then up towards the loft, “PI-KA,” then out on the porch, “PI-KA!” 

Ash hears the rumble of pokemon approaching and feels their warm, excited aura—Lycanroc and Incineroar from downstairs, Rowlet from the loft, and Melmetal from outside, plus…oh! That’s Lucario’s aura! 

“Woah!” Kukui laughs as Lucario sprints past him towards Ash, curry comb clutched in his paws and tongue dangling out of his muzzle happily. “Someone’s happy to be groomed!” 

Ash grins, scratching behind Lucario’s ears. “Kukui-hakase, want me to groom your other pokemon, too?” 

Kukui frowns for a moment, thinking, then brightens. “Actually, that would be great, they would probably really enjoy that.” 

“Yay! More pokemon!” Ash exclaims. “And Professor Burnet, want me to groom Munchlax?”

Burnet, who had been put down but was still cemented into Kukui’s side, nods. “Sure, I’m sure he’d love it, too.” 

Munchlax appears from behind her leg, peering curiously at the grooming tools Ash clutches. “…Munch?”

“Yeah! C’mon, Munchlax, everyone, let’s go get groomed!” Ash starts hopping out, not even bothering with his crutches since he has too many things in his hands.

Kukui grasps his shoulders lightly, stopping him. “That’s a whole lot of pokemon you’re about to groom. You want some help?” 

“Nope!” Ash grins. “I can do it!” He starts hopping along again.

Kukui follows him. “Let me at least carry some stuff for you, hm? Help you get set up? And I’ll help you round up my team, too, they’re…kinda all over the place.”

Ash studies him for a moment…he just wanted to help, not hold him back. “Okay, sure, thanks!” 

“Absolutely.” Kukui smirks, then scoops up Burnet again. “You, madam, are on couch duty. You have worked too hard.” 

She rolls her eyes while Kukui frets over her couch positioning. “Yes, sir,” Ash hears her murmur, sounding awfully sleepy.

Kukui drapes a blanket over her and kisses her again, then grabs Ash’s crutches from where Ash had previously left them strewn across the floor and passes them to him. “Alright, the rest of the grooming tools are in the garage, but first, we gotta find my pokemon,” Kukui says, grinning with anticipation. Ash follows him out onto the porch where the rest of the pokemon had gathered.

“Lu-cario!” Lucario jumps up and wags his tail.

Ash laughs, feeling the images wash over him. “Lucario wants to help, too!” 

Kukui looks quizzically to Ash for a moment, then smiles when Lucario barks in confirmation. “I guess so, huh? Well, let’s find Bravirary first, that’ll be the easiest.” He steps out into the beach a little further, then calls out, “BRAVIARY!” 

Ash feels a little spike of something—was it aura, or was he just imagining it…? Oh no, that’s definitely Braviary’s aura. It’s coming from within the trees, then up, then…

Braviary caws loudly as he pops out of the treeline and nosedives toward them, making a few barrel rolls for show…Ash can feel his pride, hot and burning. 

“Hey, partner,” Kukui greets, lifting his arm out for Braviary to clamp onto and rubbing his head. “Want to be groomed by Ash?”

“Brrra!” Braviary looks to Ash, then puffs out the feathers of his chest and grins.

Ash grins back. “Cool!” 

“Okay, one down, five to go…” Kukui murmurs. “Venusaur’s gonna be easy. Let me show you her spot.”

Ash follows him, careful to avoid the little dips and divots in the sand with his crutches—he learned pretty fast that those weren’t good. Kukui stays right along with him at his pace, only pushing ahead to show Ash the way. They head behind the house and just to the edge of the treeline.

Ash feels…a very quiet aura. Sleepy. And sure enough, underneath the plumeria tree, Venusaur lays napping.

“Venusaur…” Kukui smiles fondly, placing a hand on her wide muzzle. 

Ash gradually feels the hum of her aura raise in volume until her eyes open and she blinks slowly.

Kukui rubs her slightly bumpy skin. “Ash wanted to groom all the pokemon today. Want to join?” 

“Sau-rrr…” She looks to Ash, then pushes herself up to standing with a rumble. She lumbers over to him and closes her eyes, sniffing at him with slight uncertainty. 

He places a hand to her muzzle as Kukui did. “I promise, I’ll make it worth your while,” Ash murmurs.

She presses into his hand with a small trill of satisfaction. Her flower petals open up a little wider in the sun and she shakes herself off, then lets out a large yawn and lumbers down toward the beach where the other pokemon had gathered. 

“She’s so  _ huge, _ more so up close,” Ash observes quietly, reveling in her peaceful, gentle aura. “She’s magnificent.”

Kukui chuckles. “She really is, huh? Nothing like a Kanto starter.” 

“Pikapika!” Pikachu confirms from Ash’s shoulder.

“Speaking of starters…” Kukui hops up the back steps to the lab and sticks his head in. “Cinny! Want a groom?”

Kukui’s Incineroar comes jogging out, a goofy smile on his normally very serious face. He goes straight for Ash and places a warm paw on his head. Protection—a feeling of protection and…is that a  _ parental _ feeling?—waves off of his aura.

“Hey there, Cinny, how ya’ doin’?” Ash giggles out as he ruffles his hair all up with his paws.

“Incineroar, don’t you want to let him have  _ some _ semblance of hair?” Kukui brushes his paws off of Ash’s head.

Incineroar balks, then laughs in gravely yowls. 

Ash laughs along, finding himself overcome with Cinny’s joy and amusement. “He thinks you’re just jealous because he’s playing with my hair and you’re not.”

Kukui giggles, blushing with guilt, then stops into silence. “…How do you know that, Ash?”

Ash shrugs and says his usual explanation. “I just do.”

And that wasn’t really a lie—Ash doesn’t really understand his aura or what it lets him do. He’s always been able to pick up what pokemon were feeling; he assumed everyone else could, too, until somewhere along in Kanto he realized that that was not necessarily a normal thing. He still doesn’t even consider it a talent, like some “pokemon translators” claim they have; this is just…a sensitivity.

Or maybe it’s all his aura, and Mew’s right, he should spend more time honing those skills. 

But for now, he’s satisfied with just calling it an enhanced sense.

Kukui looks at him for a few more seconds, then seems to decide not to say anything else. “Alright, let’s go get the queen.” 

Lucario meets Ash’s eyes and explains through a series of images. Kukui was referring to Empoleon—the proudest, brashest, and most vain of his team, even cockier than Braviary. She’s loyal and faithful, though, and both Lucario and Ash remember what a great battler she is. 

“Is she even around here, Professor? I don’t see her anywhere…” Ash looks around and extends his aura—nothing. Then again, his aura-finding skills weren’t all that reliable outside his own team. Or Lucario. Or Burnet, apparently—he can feel her dozing on the couch, her aura only dimmed slightly. “Did she go to study the currents again?” 

“Well, let’s see, I have a feeling she’s hanging around here,” Kukui muses, smiling hesitantly, then kicks off his shoes and rolls up the cuffs of his pants. 

He wades in the water, letting his fingertips graze the top of the crystal-clear crests of waves. He loudly whistles a melody Ash doesn’t recognize, but as soon as he does it, Ash feels Braviary, Incineroar, Venusaur, and Lucario perk up at attention.

Ash watches, fascinated, as Kukui dips his whole hand in the water and splashes it gently, then whistles a little louder. 

There—there it is. Ash feels a surge of aura from down in the water, approaching fast.

Kukui’s whistling dies out. “Here she comes…”

And in a flash, Empoleon shoots out of the water and shakes herself off. “Em-poh!” She lumbers over to Ash, looking him up and down. Ash has the distinct feeling he’s being sized up. 

“I’m not your rival,” Ash explains, chuckling at the waves of ambition pulsing off of her. “I just want to groom you.” 

Her eyes widen and she looks to Kukui.

“I  _ know _ you want to be groomed, Empoleon, don’t lie!” Kukui laughs at her suspicion. “What, are you salty about the League still?”

If birds can blush, this one definitely does.

“It’s alright. We can always have a rematch!” Ash proposes. 

“Pi-kapika!” Pikachu seconds. 

She seems to relax a bit more at that, appeased at the notion of a way to settle the score. She doesn’t nuzzle Ash or show any outward affection like Kukui’s other pokemon would, but she nods and heads up to where all the other pokemon were gathered.

“…Guess that’s a yes for grooming?” Ash giggles, watching her cross her fins at the sight of Melmetal, who roars happily, completely oblivious to their apparent one-sided rivalry.

“She’s like that occasionally, don’t pay her any mind,” Kukui laughs. “I totally spoiled her when Professor Rowan gave her to me…she can hold quite the grudge.”

Ash shrugs. “That’s okay. It’s always hard to lose, right, Pikachu?” 

“Pika.” He nods sagely.

“You got that right.” Kukui pauses from heading up the beach, letting Ash catch up. He was getting kinda tired…not that he’d let that stop him at all.

“…Hakase, I just realized, I’ve never met your sixth pokemon!” Ash exclaims. “Tapu Koko kept me from battling them! Who are they?” 

“Rapidash is my sixth pokemon,” Kukui explains. “I’m still a little sad you never got to battle her in the arena.”

Ash feels his excitement grow. He's loved rapidashes ever since the race in Kanto. “Oh, wow, a Rapidash! Cool! What’s she like?” 

“She’s…not like my other pokemon. She’s been through some tough times. But I think you’ll like her a lot.” Kukui grins sheepishly. “She’s going to be the hardest to find, though. She’s very shy, needs a lot of encouragement.”

“Oh?” Ash cocks his head. “Where do you think she might be?” 

“She usually hangs out in the forest with Venusaur…Venusaur, have you seen Rapidash around?” Kukui calls up to the sunning pokemon.

She grunts, shaking her head.

“Hmmm…” 

“Lu-u-cario!” Lucario runs up to them once more, tail wagging even faster. “Cario!”

Ash giggles and rubs his neck. “Do you know where she is, Lucario?” 

“Lu! Lucario!” He jumps up and dashes off into the forest.

Ash and Kukui look at each other—what’s he doing? Ash traces him with his aura…he’s winding deep in the forest…oh, there’s more aura—Rapidash? The aura…it’s loud and energetic, but not happy—it’s fearful. Ash feels his heart grow tender at her feeling and creeps a little closer to the forest out of instinct. 

“There she is, pretty girl,” Kukui croons and coaxes as her shadow flicks along the treeline. “Come on out. It’s okay.” 

She peeks her head out and Ash steps back.

“…That’s Rapidash?” Ash cocks his head at Kukui—she doesn’t look like any rapidash he had ever seen. Her coat is snow-white, while her long mane is bright purple and turquoise and  _ definitely _ not on fire, but it is slightly glowing. 

Kukui cocks his brow. “Someone’s not quite ready for the Galar Form test.”

Ash’s eyes widen as that sinks in. “So this is a  _ Galarian _ rapidash…she’s so beautiful!” Ash hops slightly closer, but she whinnies and shies away towards Kukui. 

Kukui strokes her muzzle. “Rapidash, it’s all okay. Remember the League? This was who you were gonna face.”

Rapidash’s wide blue eyes peek out behind Kukui to look at Ash— _ really _ look at him.

“Lu-cario!” Lucario barks happily to Rapidash, gesturing to Ash. Ash feels the images of his conversation leaking out—oh. He was introducing her to Ash, through aura.

“Hi there. I’m Ash.” Ash moves a little bit forward on his crutches, but she shies away again. 

Kukui sighs quietly, shooting an apologetic look to Ash.

“Oh! These are scary, I get it.” Ash lowers his crutches to the sand, ignoring the quiet protests from Kukui. He starts hopping on one foot toward her, his hands held up in a non-threatening manner. “Is that better?”

She whinnies again, but this time she doesn’t shy away. Ash takes that as an invitation to move a little closer, and when she’s within his reach, he touches a hand to the side of her cheek.

Sparks fly in Ash’s own aura as it collides with hers, but then it melts down. He feels his own reassurance pouring over her, like sweet honey flowing between them. She softens.

…Was this what Mew was talking about? About…about helping Kukui-hakase?

Ash feels her rest her muzzle on his shoulder as he reaches around her neck, leaning into the closest thing of a hug one could do with an equine pokemon. 

“…Oh my God,” Kukui mutters. “H-how…?” 

“Someone hurt you, hmm? Someone did some bad things,” Ash observes. It’s just the two of them, holding a little conversation with their aura. He couldn’t make out much, but he didn’t need the aura to see she had been abused in some way—he’s seen that look of fear, distrust, and caution in her eye many times before in other pokemon, like little Charmander and little Tepig.

“S-she had been part of a circus, was horribly abused. Professor Magnolia sent her to me, hoping that battling would help her regain some confidence,” Kukui explains, almost inaudible. “She’s gotten a lot better, but you—Ash, she’s never been so relaxed, ever. How did you—Ash,  _ please do not do that! _ ”

Too late. Ash mounts her with ease—she invites it. It was so relaxing on her back; his good leg had been cramping from standing too long. He lays up against the crest of her neck, feeling her soft mane.

“Would you let me groom you, Rapidash?” Ash murmurs into her ear. “You know I’ll be gentle.” 

She whinnies once more, this time with a sense of confirmation.

“Lu-lu-lu!” Lucario howls happily, nuzzling Ash’s hand, then Rapidash’s neck, then Kukui’s side.

“Ash…I will never understand you, will I?” Kukui chuckles. “You’re…beyond incredible. With all of the pokemon, you are  _ incredible _ .” 

“Thank you, Hakase!” Ash laughs at his incredulity. “But it’s not that special. All I do is…be open.” 

“…’Be open?’” Kukui parrots, confused.

“I dunno how to explain it, it’s like…” He tries to put aura into words without using the word  _ aura, _ then fails. “Words are hard. Sorry.” 

“Don’t apologize. Just—thank you. Thank you, Ash.” 

Ash pulls himself off her neck for a moment. “For what?” 

“Wh—just look at them,” Kukui points out the ten playing pokemon on the beachfront—even Empoleon was having fun—then gestures to Ash and Rapidash. “And at you. You bring out something in them that I never can. So, thank you.” 

“Don’t thank me yet, I haven’t even started grooming!” Ash laughs, then squeezes Rapidash’s side gently with his good heel—she starts walking forward. 

“Oh! Right!” Kukui, appearing as if he had forgotten completely about why they were rounding up the pokemon, rushes ahead to set out all of Ash’s tools. Rapidash walks on to follow her trainer, reassured by Ash’s soothing caresses up and down her neck.

“Okay, um, curry combs, shedding blades, polish for Melmetal and Empoleon, feather conditioner…what else do you need? Oh, wait, let me fill the tub…” Kukui continues rambling as he organizes, while Cinny laughs at him. “Are you sure you don’t need, er, want help? Twelve pokemon, over half of which are huge?” 

“It’s okay, Professor, I got it.” Ash pats Rapidash’s neck and she bends down to let him dismount. “Go be with Professor Burnet.” 

Kukui blushes. “If you insist. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you need help, though.” 

“I won’t, I won’t,” Ash assures him. “You guys ready?” 

All the pokemon cry with resonating excitement.

“Okay, I’ll leave you to it then.” Kukui helps him to sit down on the porch steps as the pokemon start to line up—Pikachu sits at the very front, practically exploding with excitement, while Ash’s Incineroar leads up the rear, thoroughly  _ not _ excited.

“Alright, let’s do this!” 

* * *

  
  


“No, I can’t take another case! I was supposed to make a house call for Ash today!” Kapono grumbles.

“I know you want to see him, but in actuality, he’s fine compared to your new patient.” Santos sets the chart in front of him. “GSW to the shoulder. The surgery to save her joint function went well but I don’t trust her rehab with anyone else.” 

Kap skims the chart. “She’s probably not even awake right now. Can't I just see her tomorrow?” 

“She’ll be alert within the hour. She’s also...” Santos shrugs her shoulders back and forth. “…high priority.” 

Kapono huffs, “More high priority than the Champion?” 

Santos points to her name. “Do you not recognize her? She was here the other day.” 

Kapono hadn’t even read the name, to be completely honest. “Deputy Zhou, Rachel…no? Should I? Lots of cops come through here.” 

“Well, maybe you’ll recognize the man that brought her in.” Santos pokes the admission note.

“…Kahuna Nanu?” Kapono questions. “Wait, he’s the one on Ash’s case. Is she—”

“She’s  _ his _ deputy.” 

Kapono’s eyes widen. “Do you think—“

“I’m not here to speculate on a criminal investigation. But, this case takes priority for you today.” 

Kapono frowns—a new problem now, awesome. He cracks his knuckles, takes the chart, and heads to her room.

* * *

  
  


Nanu picks up his phone—his regular phone—on the first ring. “What did you find?” 

_ “A flash drive, right in his jacket pocket,” _ Looker squawks through the phone.  _ “It’s encrypted to hell and back, though. The only one who could possibly figure it out would be Rachel.”  _

Nanu hisses through his teeth, looking up from his chair to Rachel’s still form on the bed. “Go ahead and bring it in, and bring her laptop, too. I have a feeling she’ll want to see it as soon as possible.”

_ “Yes, sir.”  _

“And, uh, did we get someone on her apartment?” 

_ “The building was evacuated, but it should be ready for her and the other tenants to move back into by the end of the day.”  _

“Good.”

_ “How is she? Is she awake yet?”  _

“Not yet, but someone just came in and said it won’t be long.” Nanu sighs. “Report back as quickly as you can.”

_ “Understood, sir.” _

Nanu clicks the line off—honestly, his heart was still a little cold toward Looker, but he knew that they both cared about Zhou, and Zhou seemed to take a little liking to him yesterday during the stakeout. 

This is going to be fine. This is  _ going to be fine _ . This is going to be fine this is going to be fine this is going to be— 

“…You look like…deep-fried shit.”

Nanu jumps, startled by her sudden comment. “Rachel!” 

“Chief.” She smiles dopily. “Uh…brief me? I know I’m not in hell yet…‘cos it doesn’t hurt... _ that _ bad.” 

“You were hit on the stakeout.” Nanu comes a little closer and grasps her hand when it wanders dangerously close to pulling out her IV. “Don’t do that.” 

She looks at their hands, now holding. “Heh. Softie.” 

“Shut up.” Nanu snorts. 

She laughs breathily, but then quiets, squeezing Nanu’s hand uncomfortably tight. “Does Daveed know?” 

_ Shit!  _ “…No, I haven’t yet—“

“Oh, thank Christ,” Zhou cries, much to Nanu’s relief. “If he knows, he’s gonna come, and then, what, what if, what if he gets…” She starts to hyperventilate, gripping Nanu’s hand. The engagement ring digs into his hand, like a little poignant reminder that Zhou’s got a family she has to protect. 

“Shh, Rachel, relax. It’s okay. He’s only going to know when it’s safe for him to come home.” Nanu rubs his other hand against hers, making it release its vise grip slightly. “You’re gonna be fine. They’re keeping you here tonight for observation, but then you can go home.” 

She sighs. “‘Kay.” She closes her eyes gently, and Nanu almost thinks she fell asleep, but then they snap back open. “The kid. Is he safe?”

Nanu smirks, shaking his head. “He’s fine. There are officers patrolling around him all the time.” 

“Okay. Okay.” She furrows her brow, then groans. “Thinking is hard.” 

“Get some rest, Deputy. When you wake up, I’ve got a little data present for you.” 

“Oh?” Zhou’s eyes glint with mischief as she smirks. “I better have a raise after all this.”

“We’ll see.” 

* * *

  
  


Burnet watches as Ash braids the mane of Kukui’s Rapidash, laughing and talking with the pokemon like they’re human. In a way, Ash is on the same wavelength as them…if Brock is to be believed and Ash is an aura user, that is.

He’s been out there for  _ hours. _ Munchlax came in about thirty minutes ago, fur immaculately clean, and has since been snuggled up against Burnet protectively. Ash’s got to be tired by now after grooming so many pokemon; the sun is setting and he’s still got to figure out how to coax his Incineroar into a bath, too. And Burnet would go out and help him, for sure, but a) he doesn’t seem to want help, just out of principle, and b) Burnet is pretty much cemented on this couch.

She keeps phasing in and out of sleep, never getting comfortable enough to really have a solid nap—stupid, stupid blueberry, messing up her whole damn day and her whole damn body. At least she was able to pop her too-tight bra off as soon as she got home and worm into one of Kukui’s old sweatshirts. 

What she really wanted was to just  _ tell _ Kukui, even if only just for him to hold her and spoil her and give her some sort of comfort. Instead, she just keeps telling him that she’s tired and he keeps away from her. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why—Burnet is just  _ radiating _ bitch energy, probably, why would Kukui even want to hang around her? 

Speak of the devil, she hears him come up the stairs.

— — — 

“Hey, honey?”

Burnet looks up at Kukui, a strange expression on her face that Kukui couldn’t pinpoint. “Yeah?”

“Well, uh, I’m washing gray stuff right now, and I was gonna ask if you wanted me to wash that sweatshirt you got on real quick.”

Burnet’s grip on the fabric tightens. “…I’m allowed to wear your sweatshirts.”

“I never said you weren’t?” Kukui frowns. She was really defensive for no particular reason. “It’s just that you’ve worn that sweatshirt for the whole week. It’s got a pizza stain on it from last Thursday.” 

She shifts uncomfortably on the couch. “It gives it character.” 

Kukui raises his brow at her. “I…if you say so?” 

“It does!” She huffs, looking awfully upset. “Besides. I don’t need  _ you _ telling me what to do.” 

Kukui sighs. “Honey, it’s just a sweatshirt.” 

Her eyes well up with tears. “’S not just a sweatshirt,” she mumbles. 

“Oh—oh, honey, what’s going on, huh?” Kukui sits down next to her and wraps his arms around her in the position she liked, with her head in his chest and his chin on her head. “Tell me.” 

She wriggles out of his hold.

He can’t help but feel a little dejected.

“It’s nothing,” she mutters, wiping the tears off her face with the cuff of the fabled sweatshirt. She’s holding her breath and it’s making her face red. “I’m just…just really tired.” 

“…Would it make you feel better if I washed this sweatshirt really, really quickly? And that way when it comes outta the dryer it’s nice and warm? And then we can take a nap?”

She just looks at him flatly. 

Kukui gets up, sensing he is no longer wanted. “Or not. Or not, I’ll just go wash these other things and you relax here and, uh, I’ll leave you alone.” 

More tears spill over, faster this time. 

He sits back down. “Burnet…baby, talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong. Please. I love you.” 

She shakes her head. “No, ’s nothing, ’s nothing.” 

“Are you sure?” Kukui puts his hand over hers. “You can tell me anything, sweetheart, you know that.” 

“No, seriously, nothing’s wrong.” She laughs abruptly and takes the sweatshirt off, then her arms retreat to hugging her midsection.

She looks at him with…with something that Kukui can’t identify, and pecks his cheek gently.  Kukui wants to investigate more, but clearly her lips are sealed.

She runs a hand through her curls, then stops and her face twists up. “I need a shower.” 

“Okay, the sweatshirt will be ready when you get out, I promise.” Kukui kisses her ch—should he go for the lips? Maybe not, she was still a little on edge—cheek. “Ooh, I know, you want some Tapu Cocoa? Maybe?”

She nods quietly, then her lips turn up slightly. “You gonna put some cinnamon in it?” 

“Absolutely, ku’uipo, and whipped cream.” Kukui lets one of his grins loose, then he laughs sheepishly. “That is, if Ash didn’t finish it off by himself for breakfast this morning.” 

“Ha. I’ll check on him right now.” She starts to push herself up off the couch, then slumps back down onto the cushions.

Kukui doesn’t even think; he just helps her up gently, one hand in hers and one hand behind her shoulder to raise her to standing. She leans heavily on him—God, like Ash does when he helps him off the couch. 

…Was his wife okay?

She blushes in  embarrassment. “Woah. Head rush.”

She works herself too damn hard. But she just smiles and heads out on the porch.

Kukui tries to shake the gnawing anxiety off him, then finds, like always, that he isn’t able.

His anxiety only increases when he hears Burnet exclaim, “ASH! What  _ happened!?”  _

“I, uh…well, you see—“ 

Kukui skids to a stop on the porch. Ash wasn’t…in danger, it didn’t look like, but his cast was melted, cracked, and scorched around his leg. Steam was legitimately rising off it. 

“Professors, it’s okay, I’m fine, don’t worry!” Ash reassures but makes no moves to get up.

Kukui stammers, “How—how did this even happen?” 

“Well, uh, the tub got flipped over when…a certain pokemon didn’t want to have her bath, and it got my cast all wet.” Ash gestures to the tub on its side up against the porch steps. “And I remembered how Kap said I shouldn’t get it wet, so I asked said pokemon to help me dry it off with a Fire Blast that was supposed to just be, like, a little tiny flame, but we kinda overestimated…” 

“Cin-a…” Ash’s Incineroar mewls apologetically, paws tucked behind her back.

“…Sorry,” Ash winces. 

“Don’t apologize to us,” Burnet sighs. “Isn’t it…hurting?” 

Ash shrugs nonchalantly. “Well, uh, yeah, but not that bad.” He pushes himself up to standing with a grunt and pants out, “Yeah, ’s fine.” 

Kukui and Burnet look at each other and nod. 

Kukui scoops Ash up, garnering a few whines of indignation that quiet when Kukui pulls him a little closer and pets his hair. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and starts walking to the car.

_ “Yeah.” _

“Kap. Remember how you were supposed to come over?”

_ “Well, I actually can’t now, I’m working on a case. Santos was supposed to send someone out to you.” _

Kukui pauses. “Oh. It doesn’t matter now, we’re coming to you.” He grabs Burnet’s keys off the counter and tosses them to her. “Ash had a small accident.” 

_ “What kind of accident? Should I call an ambulance?”  _

Ash, who could apparently hear him, yells, “No!”

Kukui sighs. “He messed up his cast.” Kukui sits Ash down in the backseat, propping his deformed leg up across the seats.

“I didn’t mean to!” Ash whines, quieting only when Burnet kisses his cheek.

_ “…Knowing my patient’s history, I’m assuming there is a hilarious story behind this, which I am thrilled to hear. I’ll meet you in the ER bay.”  _ Kap pauses.  _ “How much structural damage are we talking?”  _

Kukui, who had taken shotgun next to Burnet, cranes his neck to look at it. “Uh, a significant amount.”

_ “I don’t hear screams of pain, so that means it should be still partially intact.”  _

“It doesn’t hurt that bad,” Ash insists as the car starts to roll out of the garage. 

“It’s pretty fucked, though,” Burnet murmurs as she whips the car onto the main road. Kukui’s stomach lurches; however, his small fear of driving has been set aside for now.

_ “…I have no idea what to expect, then. Ash also said it ‘didn’t hurt’ when he re-concussed himself.”  _

“Pikapi-pika…” Pikachu, who must have snuck in, adds from the backseat.

“Hush, Pikachu,” Ash replies. He groans when the car’s loose suspension jostles on the road bumps. “Kuso…” 

Kukui doesn’t even think—he just reaches his hand back to where Ash was sitting. Ash grips it much too tight for someone who’s “fine.” 

_ “Well. Shit. Come fast. But also try not to worry.”  _

“Can’t promise that one. See you.” 

* * *

  
  


Nanu didn’t really know why he couldn’t see this coming—I mean, the past twenty-four hours have been just  _ ridiculous _ . 

But seriously? The kid being  _ here? _ Right  _ now?  _

Nanu just shrinks down in the waiting room chair—he wants to get into Zhou’s room as fast as he can, but she was off getting some sort of scan done to make sure no more hollow points were in her.

“…Kahuna Nanu?” The kid peeps up behind him. 

Nanu lifts his chin at him “Hey, kid. What’re you doing here?” 

“Well, I broke my cast, so I was getting that fixed.” He lifts his newly-wrapped leg in demonstration, and Nanu notices how all the drawings were gone; the whole thing must have been replaced. “Then I snuck off when they started talking about my denial of pain and then I found you!” His face, drawn tight with discomfort, brightens with a goofy smile. “What’re  _ you _ doing here?”

Nanu tries to shake off everything that was wrong with that explanation. “…A friend of mine’s here.”

“Oh!” Ash cocks his head. “Hope they’re okay!”

Nanu scoffs. “Don’t worry your head. They’re gonna be fine.” 

“Well, that’s a relief!” 

Awkward silence passes between the two of them until Nanu pats the seat next to his. “Sit. Somebody needs to keep an eye on you all the time.” 

Ash giggles sheepishly, but trails off as his eye catches something.

Nanu looks behind him. “…What’re you looking at?”

The kid snaps his eyes back to Nanu, expression more serious than he had ever seen on him. “What happened to Miss Deputy Zhou?”

“…How do you know about th—“

“Ash! Christ on a  _ cracker, _ there you are!” The annoying young PT/nurse who was assigned to Rachel exclaims. 

“ _ What happened to Miss Deputy Zhou?” _ Ash asks again, insistent. 

The guy—what was his name? Keith?—peeps up, “…Y’all know each other?” 

“Did she get hurt because of me?” Ash asks, barely above a whisper. 

“Ash, listen to me. I don’t know what you heard or what you’re thinking, but Deputy Zhou was injured in the line of duty, which is a risk she takes every day as a police officer. You did not hurt her. Your actions did not hurt her. It is not about you,” Nanu tries to placate, then just sounds rude.

Keith (?) steps closer. “Woah there. Not sure what’s going on here, but I know Ash isn’t a relative of Officer Zhou, so he shouldn’t be hanging around here—“ 

Ash ignores Keith. “Kahuna, please, you have to understand, this is all my fault, I…” Ash swallows. “If I had just died and stayed dead that night, none of this would have happened.” 

Keith shuts up quickly at that. 

“Actually, if you had died, it might have been worse. We’d still be looking into a murder, it’d just be even more high-risk.” Nanu tries to explain. “So I don’t wanna hear those words come out of your mouth again, y’hear?” 

Ash looks at him for a moment, upper lip trembling, then nods.

“Kid. Go home, okay? I’ll see you in a couple days anyway and I’ll let you know about how Zhou is doing.” Nanu waves his hand lazily. “Go on.”

Ash stares at him for another few seconds, then scoots into the wheelchair that Keith had left out for him. 

As Keith pushes him away, murmuring quietly to him, Nanu can’t help but feel the darkness within that kid. And Nanu knew dark—that’s why he thought Ash was so completely devoid of darkness before.

But now? Nanu isn’t so sure.

* * *

  
  


Burnet isn’t a huge fan of Laki, but right now, she’s thanking God for the show. Ash had cried silently in Kukui’s arms the whole way back from the hospital, but now he’s thoroughly distracted…er, lulled to sleepiness…with the show. Popping four ibuprofen with his Tapu Cocoa is probably helping, too, and Kukui re-drawing the intricate traditional Alolan thigh tattoo on his cast while Ash snuggles against Burnet and her (Kukui’s) newly-washed, still-warm-from-the-dryer sweatshirt might also be contributing to his relaxed state.

They’re all so tired—especially Kukui. Her husband usually had a few bags under his eyes, but he looks drawn, even gaunt, by the end of today. Yet, still, he comforted Ash for a solid hour after they got home with stories about his pokemon, then he made the hot cocoa, then he did the laundry, and now he’s completely focused on his sharpie masterpiece. Despite having to put up with…with Burnet and her own crying and bitchiness, and then the abrupt change of plans to the hospital, he was still standing and functioning. Burnet, however, is nearly as drowsy as Ash. 

_ “The culprit is you!” _

Ash twitches awake. “I-I totally knew it.” 

Both Kukui and Burnet laugh, leading Ash to blush and laugh with them. He leans a little more on Burnet when she rubs his shoulders soothingly.

“And…done.” Kukui caps the sharpie and leans back, observing the whole of his ink work. “Howzit, Ash?”

Ash drags his finger across the intricate design. “’S perfect.” Ash smiles and pats the couch next to him; Kukui takes his offer, sliding the cast to rest on his lap in a slightly elevated position. He then drapes a blanket over the conglomerate cuddle pile of Ash and Burnet and snakes his arm around her shoulder, kissing her cheek. 

Ash places a hand on Burnet’s knee and a hand on Kukui’s knee, then closes his eyes gently and smiles.

A warm, sweet feeling pulses through her. God, she loves her family so much. The warm feeling just keeps washing over her, and she feels like she might cry for the third time today.

Ash’s hand moves—the strength of the feeling diminishes but still lingers. 

“You guys?” 

Ash’s eyes open and he smiles at her. Kukui turns his body slightly to face her.

_ I’m pregnant. _

_ I’m pregnant. _

_ I’m pregnant. _

“I’m…” Her voice cracks. She can’t do this. “I love you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp!
> 
> hope everyone's doing ok <3


	14. discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hey, we're all having a hard time here, aren't we?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear to god i meant for this chapter to be fluffy, then it...didn't
> 
> thanks to sapph/angel/the server you're all saints 
> 
> oh also. this fic is really only supposed to have established relationships/gen stuff. but...i wanted to spice it up with ash's lil blonde baguette babie. it can be read as diodeshipping, zringshipping, or even trustedpartnershipping if you wanted. but overall i'm intending it to be one sided stuff and nothing central to the plot
> 
> <3

_“Burnet, what is your fucking_ **_problem_** _!?”_

_“What are you_ **_hiding_** _from me?”_

_“What, an_ **_affair_** _?”_

_“You’re_ **_pregnant_** _!?”_

_“Of_ **_course_** _I don’t fucking want it. Not with_ **_you_** _.”_

The dream keeps playing through Burnet’s mind as she pours herself a cup of coffee at the ripe hour of 2:41 AM, then has to pour the whole damn pot down the sink once she realizes that she’s pregnant again. She settles for a piece of cheese and a seltzer from the fridge, completely disappointed. 

It’s a sign—that is a fucking  _ sign _ . She can’t tell Kukui yet. 

He continues snoring quietly on the couch, hands wrapped around nothing since Burnet left.

She could go outside for a while, take a walk. Or she could sit on her ass and feel sorry for herself longer.

She decides on the latter. Down she goes on the couch and down the seltzer goes in her throat as if it were Jim Beam.

* * *

  
  


“Clemont!”

He sets his screwdriver down and peeks his head outside the workshop. “Yes?” 

“C’mere!” 

Clemont shakes his head and wipes the grease off his hands with his overalls. Bonnie was the best sister in the world, but had the an incredible talent for interrupting him while he’s elbow-deep in a project. “What’s up?"

He gets no immediate human reply—instead he hears Greninja. “Grenin-nin!”

“Shh, Greninja, it’s okay!” His sister’s voice replies, slightly muffled. 

Clemont runs the rest of the way into the lounge of the gym where she and Ash’s Greninja were hugging each other. Er, Bonnie was hugging Greninja, and he was just sitting there staring at the wall.

Clemont, who was totally  _ not _ panting from his short marathon, sinks down to his knees. “Greninja?  Est-ce que ça va? ” 

“Gre…” Greninja looks at him—he was surprisingly expressive compared to the garden variety greninja. With one look, Clemont could tell he wanted to see Ash.

“I’ll call him. One moment.” Clemont pulls out his phone and slides away a few stray notifications to get to Ash’s contact.

The phone beeps quietly as the signal reaches across the globe to Alola.

The screen is completely dark until Ash flicks on a light, revealing himself, bedhead and all.  _ “Clemont, hey!” _ Ash greets, the picture wobbling as Ash fumbles with his phone.  _ “Sorry, I meant to do another livestream yesterday, it’s just that, well, things have been a little crazy. How’ve you been?”  _

“Gre-gre!” Greninja slides next to Clemont and seizes the phone in his webbed hands. “Greninja!” 

_ “Hey there, Greninja!” _

“Hi, Ash, as you can see, Greninja wanted to see you.” Clemont feels his face heat up a little. “I, um, also wanted to see you.” 

Ash beams.  _ “ _ _ You guys are the best! Don _ _ ’ _ _ t worry, Greninja, I just had a little nightmare. Nothing _ _ ’ _ _ s wrong. _ _ ” _ __

“I—Ash, what time is it in Alola?” 

Ash shrugs.  _ “Eh, 3 AM-ish? But it’s good that you woke me up, that wasn’t a very fun dream.”  _

Pikachu slides into view of the camera. _“_ _Pika-pika,_ _”_ he confirms, then waves to the two of them. 

Greninja frowns. “Nin-nin,” he murmurs in slight disbelief.

_ “Greninja, I promise I’m fine. I’m doing a lot better since I last saw you, yeah? I know you can feel that.”  _

Clemont tries to reply but feels his sister’s face worm between him and Greninja. “…Ash?” 

_ “Bonnie! It’s so good to see you!”  _

She ducks her head into Clemont’s side, one eye peeking at Ash and both hands gripping at his overalls. Clemont just rubs her back and kisses her hair. 

She does this sometimes. Flare fucked up the way his little sister coped with the world. 

It also doesn’t help that PSPN, which basically plays in the gym and the workshop 24/7, still keeps broadcasting stories on Champion Satoshi Ketchum and his poor health. Clemont eventually just turned all the TVs off so Bonnie didn’t need to be reminded of Ash’s mortality.

Frankly, Clemont didn’t like being reminded of it either. 

Ash doesn’t react strongly to her sudden withdrawal; instead he remains calm and warm.  _ “Bonnie, you’re so strong and brave. You’ve been taking such good care of Greninja, I really appreciate it.” _

She sniffs. “M-merci,” she murmurs quietly, opening up a bit more again.

Ash beams. _“I just wanna give you a_ **_huge_** _hug!”_

“Me, too!” She half-laughs, half-sobs, breaking Clemont and Ash’s hearts.

_ “…I got an idea, Bonbon, just give me a second.”  _

Clemont cocks his head. What was he about to do?

It doesn’t take long for Clemont to figure it out. Ash-Greninja. He holds his arms out and wraps Bonnie in an embrace, humming quietly.

Clemont’s eyes nearly bug out of his head. “Ash, are you sure you can—“ 

_ “Yeah.” _ Ash gives him a forced smile.  _ “If I focus hard, Greninja doesn’t feel a thing from my side.” _ He hisses quietly, then changes the subject. _ “But I feel you, Bonnie! You’re the best hug-giver ever!”  _

Bonnie finally smiles, planting a sloppy kiss on Greninja—Ash’s—cheek. Ash laughs over the phone and fingers his cheek.

_ “Clemont…” _ Ash teases. 

“Ash, c’mon, no, it’s fine—“

Ash-Greninja wraps him in an even-closer hug, nuzzling his cheek and rubbing his back.

Clemont blushes—he blushes  _ hard, _ down to his toes and on the tip of his nose.

_ “You’re the best, Clem.”  _

Clemont tries not to keep falling in love with Ash.

He fails.

* * *

  
  


“Ash?”

Ash snaps his head up from smiling at his phone. “Oh, hi, Burnet-hakase, sorry, did I wake you up?”

She laughs. “No, I was up anyway.” She smirks and leans against the doorframe. “Were you on the phone with someone?”

“Yeah, Clemont and Bonnie.” 

“Ooh. Monsieur Clemont?” She cocks her brow. 

“…Oui.” 

Burnet wiggles her eyebrows a little bit.

Ash frowns. “There’s no romance! That’s literally all in your imagination! We’re friends! That’s all!” 

Burnet holds up her hands. “Okay, mister, whatever you say.” She starts to turn away. “I’ll let you get back to sleep, I just had to give you the obligatory parental tease.” 

“You don’t have to leave, I’m not going to sleep for a little bit.” Code for:  _ Please stay, I had a nightmare,  _ Burnet had learned. 

“Okay then.” She turns around and sits down at the edge of the bed. “Bad dream?”

Ash shrugs. “Maybe.” 

“Y’know, there’s no shame in that. You can just tell me.” 

“I know.”

“Cool, just making sure.”

Ash picks at the bidoof-covered blanket over his cast. “…Can I have a hug? Just for a second?”

Burnet’s heart breaks a little—Ash is probably the best hugger in the universe, and yet he felt the need to  _ ask _ for hugs. Why couldn’t Burnet have a little intuition for once?

Instead of voicing this, she lays down in her—well, now his—bed and hugs him close, kissing his bedhead. Do mothers do this? It feels right. 

Wait, she could technically call herself a mother now. She’s not just a placeholder mom. 

She pushes that aside. “Tell me about Monsieur Clemont,” she suggests, attempting for a distraction. 

“He’s probably the nicest guy I’ve ever met,” Ash mumbles into her chest. “Kind. Caring.” 

“He seems like it, from PSPN interviews,” she confirms.

“…He’s also very blonde.”

“Mm?” Burnet cocks another brow.

“I maybe find that slightly attractive. In the way that, like, you can appreciate someone as, uh, good-looking, without feeling romantically attached to them.” Ash ducks deeper into Burnet’s chest, presumably hiding a blush. 

“Okay.” 

“Gladion falls into this category, too, so, uh, it’s not just Clem.” 

“Oh?” 

“…Why am I even telling you this?”

“No idea, but I’m thoroughly enjoying it. Go on.” 

He giggles and continues. “Kiawe’s caring, too. He’s less…nice-guy, like Clemont is, but he’s so…I dunno, soft? Under all that tough attitude.” 

“I can see it.” 

Ash sighs. “I dunno if I actually…feel anything…for anyone, though, y’know? Is that weird? Like, Serena. I thought I didn’t feel anything for her because I’m kinda gay, but also, I’m not really sure that I’m actually gay, and I’m just, uh. I dunno. Confused.”

“Love is weird, and it’s even weirder at your age. You’re not alone in feeling that way.” Burnet rubs his shoulders. “Take your time. If you decide to pursue anything with anyone, you’ll know if it’s right, I promise.” 

“Did you know Kukui-hakase was right for you? …Y’know,  _ the one _ from the beginning?”

“Well, yes and no.” Burnet laughs. “Sorry, I don’t give the best love advice, I guess. Kukui and I had a weird relationship, we were on and off for years before here in Alola. But also, I think we knew we were right for each other, and that’s why we kept coming back to each other. It just took…coming out and saying that. So we decided we’d stick it out for the rest of our lives.” 

“Is marriage…good?” Ash bristles. “Sorry, that’s a weird question. You don’t have to answer that. I just…uh, well, my dad never stuck around, so I don’t really get the whole marriage thing super well.” 

Burnet hums—she hadn’t really known what was up with Ash’s biological father. “That’s not a weird question at all, but it doesn’t really have an easy answer.” She sighs. “My marriage with Kukui is great. I love being married to him, because I love  _ him. _ But forever is a long time, you know? Marriage isn’t for everyone. It’s a…set of compromises, over and over again, and it’s a team effort. You have to be totally invested for it to work. It’s working for us so far, and we plan to be in it for the long haul.” 

“That’s good.” Ash shifts his bulky leg over to come closer to Burnet. “You guys seem so happy.” 

_ Oh, you have no idea what kind of shit I’m keeping from him. _

_ From you. _

Damn it.

Burnet doesn’t say anything regarding  _ that, _ though. She just nods and holds Ash a little closer.

* * *

  
  


Zhou pouts. “Give me my laptop.”

“No. Eat your pudding first,” Nanu insists, pushing the tray of hospital food closer to her.

She shakes her head. “I refuse. Gimme my laptop.” 

Nanu huffs, “No. Pudding. Eat it.” 

Looker just chuckles at this exchange, curled up into himself in a chair in the corner of the room.

“Agent, help me,” Nanu instructs, holding back laughter. “The prisoner isn’t cooperating.” 

He nods and gets up from his chair. “Understood, sir.” He grabs the pudding cup from her tray, peels off the foil, and fills up a spoon with the chocolate colloid. “Target acquired.” He sticks the spoon in Zhou’s mouth. “Direct hit. Mission accomplished.” 

None of them can hold back their laughter anymore. Zhou, her teeth covered in pudding, accepts a few more spoonfuls from Looker when her laughter dies down.

“Okay, okay, laptop time now. That flash drive won’t decrypt itself.” Zhou reaches out with grabby hands like a toddler. Nanu rolls her eyes and hands it to her; she could be just as manipulative as Acerola. 

She flips it open and immediately reaches to type with both hands, then seems to realize that she can’t do that—her right arm was in a sling to keep her collarbone immobilized. “Well, color me fucked,” she mumbles under her breath and types away, albeit more awkwardly than normal, with her left hand. “And you just…found this on the guy’s body?”

Nanu and Looker glance at each other. 

Nanu says, “Yeah, we—“

“No, it was planted,” Looker says at the same time.

Zhou frowns. “Both of you can’t be right. It looks planted. Nanu, I appreciate you trying to save face, but I'm not  _ that _ impaired.” 

Looker crosses his arms and Nanu shifts awkwardly, keeping his poker face on.

She huffs, then continues typing. 

After a few awkward minutes, her computer beeps and she pulls her hands away. 

“Jesus, Joseph, and Mary…” Zhou murmurs, eyes as wide as saucers. The heart monitor speeds up.

Nanu perks up—he had maybe started to fall asleep. Maybe. “What? What did you find?” 

_ “Everything.” _ She spins the laptop around so Nanu and Looker can see it.

Nanu narrows his eyes at it—it’s mostly numbers and coding phrases that he didn’t understand. 

Looker, on the other hand, must have understood. “Oh my God. This…we can make an arrest. We can make an  _ arrest _ with this.” 

“What is it, exactly?” Nanu scratches the back of his head. “I need at least two more cups of coffee to understand that.” 

“This is a few  _ terabytes _ of raw data on Viren’s organization. Look,” She points to a series of numbers, all in the billions. “Capital gains.” She clicks some more and opens up a folder full of names. “Agents. These are  _ agents.” _

Nanu’s heart constricts with nervous excitement. “Wait, is Wilson there?” 

She scrolls, scanning through to the W section. “Wilson, Phillip—wait, his name has a separate file.” She clicks on it. “‘High risk?'…They knew his wife was Team Rocket…Oh,  _ shit. _ Look at this!” 

Nanu scans the words she had highlighted.  **_HIGH RISK. FOR USE IN PROJECT MANALO._ **

“Project Manalo?” Looker asks.

“Manalo. An expression used on the islands for unity,” Nanu rattles off. “…It’s also the name of Kukui’s stadium.” 

“Kukui, the Professor?” Zhou furrows her brow. “What are you implying?” 

“Ash is the Champion of that League, and from what Giovanni has said, Viren sees the League as his competition,” Nanu explains. “If Viren wants to replace Manalo Stadium and the rest of the League as his own…”

“…You’d start by eliminating the people who lead it,” Looker finishes for him. “Is there anything more on Project Manalo in there?” 

“Already on it.” Zhou types furiously with her one hand. “…I have  _ something _ , but it’s encrypted further. I need to run it through some Interpol software.” 

Nanu laughs while Looker shakes his head. She had kept so much from Interpol, for someone who claimed she had cut all ties with them.

Her computer whirrs, then beeps a satisfactory tone.

She narrows her eyes. “Okay, it’s a PDF of some type, but half of this is in Kantonian—it looks like TR might have, like, annotated it or something.” 

Both Nanu and Looker instruct, “Let me see.” 

She laughs, while Nanu basically snatches the computer from her lap and Looker watches over his shoulder. 

**_PRIORITY ALPHA—FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION OF THE OFFICE OF SAKAKI_ **

He keeps reading.

And reading.

And rereading.

It was all here.

_ All here. _

Looker murmurs in disbelief. “There’s no way. Giovanni planted this. Of course it all fits together.” 

“But  _ what if _ , 100kr. This explains  _ everything. _ And if this…Manalo Project is as important as it appears, then there’s no way they’ve given up.” 

Looker’s eyes widen.

“Ash is still in danger. Kukui is still in danger.”

Looker just stares back, poker face as strong as ever.

Nanu growls, “Believe this, David. Believe it  _ now, _ before we get a repeat of Rachel.” 

* * *

  
  


Mallow sets down her fork and rests her elbows on her desk, leaning towards everyone a little more. “Okay. Ash has been uncharacteristically quiet all day, so…everyone, best Gym Leader in Galar, since Ash doesn’t know any of them personally.” 

Ash laughs and shakes his head, taking another large bite of his sandwich. Of  _ course _ Mallow would pick this question.

But the only real reason he’s being quiet is that his attention is focused on Greninja—it’s…not happy. Both Ash and Greninja’s auras have been turbulent all afternoon.

Kiawe takes the reins of the conversation when Ash doesn’t immediately reply. “Kabu, easy. He’s honorable, strong, and he stokes the flame of Wela in me.” 

“Nessa…she’s my hero,” Lana sighs dreamily. 

“Nessa’s so hot! You know, she’s a model, too!” Mallow squeals, fangirling. “But personally, I gotta say, Opal’s an absolute _ icon _ . Like, when I die, I wanna be reincarnated as her.” 

“That’s not how reincarnation works,” Sophocles murmurs. 

Mallow pouts. “Shh, I didn’t ask about  _ that. _ Who’s your favorite Gym Leader there?” 

He shrugs. “Gordie’s pretty dope, I guess, I don’t really know them all that well. None of them are electric-type, so they’re kinda irrelevant.” 

“Soph! That’s rude!” Mallow scolds him gently. “Enough with you. Lillie? Favorite Gym Leader?”

She looks up from her salad. “Oh, um, Milo seems very kind and pleasant. But I think Melony’s my favorite.” She smiles shyly. “Her ice-type pokemon are very formidable, and she seems like an excellent mother…anyway.” She shakes herself off. “Ash? What about you?”

He doesn’t bother with finishing chewing. “Well, I don’t really like to pick favorites before I meet Leaders. A lot of times, they’re a lot different in real life than they are on PSPN.” Ash shrugs. “But, uh, Raihan seems super strong and cool. I’d like to battle him sometime!” He grins wistfully, then goes back to his rapidly-dwindling sandwich and focusing on Greninja.

“…That’s all?” Lana murmurs. 

“Hm?” Ash cocks his head.

She chuckles. “Normally you’d be jumping up and down and going apeshit at the mention of a battle.” 

Mallow balks. “‘Jumping up and down?’ Seriously, Lana? Have some sensitivity.” 

“Hey, I don’t care, so don’t make it a big deal,” Ash says, arms crossing as he bangs the heel of his cast against the wood floor for emphasis. “Besides, she’s right. I’m just…I dunno, don’t worry about it.” They shouldn’t know about Greninja—well, they already kinda know, but they shouldn’t know more if they don’t have to. 

“Ash, we have literally been worrying about you for the past week and a half. You’re acting different than you usually do.” Kiawe frowns and furrows his brow. “What’s going on?” 

Ash laughs and figures out a deflection. “What, can’t me, y’know,  _ dying _ be enough explanation?” 

Kiawe’s eyes flash. “I didn’t suggest that because you've openly admitted that you have no fear of death.” 

“…Did I actually say that?”

“Yeah, while you were literally on your death bed,” Mallow winces. 

“But it was followed by you commenting that Dhelmise must be sad because they don’t have a real face,” Sophocles snickers.

“Oh, so I was high, gotcha.” Ash chuckles abruptly, then returns to his sandwich. He does  _ not _ feel like having any of these conversations with his mind already preoccupied. “Can we change the subject? Cool, thanks.” 

The room is silent, save for Ash's quiet munching.

_Look what you did. They all hate you. You ruined everything. You_ **_hurt_** _people. Miss Deputy Zhou. Phillip Wilson. Greninja. Lucario. Professor Burnet. Professor Kukui. You’re a_ **_killer._**

“Pikapi…” Ash hears from somewhere. He knows it’s Pikachu, but it just feels far away.

He goes back to chewing on his sandwich, even though he isn’t particularly hungry. He pauses when his phone buzzes quietly. 

**_clem: hey is everything okay????_ **

**_clem: greninja is crying_ **

**_clem: can i call you_ **

**_clem: i’m calling you_ **

“Shit,” Ash murmurs without thought.  _ give me a sec i’ll be there asap _

He stands up—too quickly, it seems, because he ends up leaned over the desk. He hears the various protests and confusion of his friends, but he just gathers up his crutches as quickly as he can and bolts out of the room; they shouldn’t know about Greninja. It’s too much. Ash is  _ hurting him— _

He comes to a stop when he spots a white snapback further down the hall.

His aura sparks with agitation, self-directed anger, desperation. He feels the aura of Pikachu behind him, Lucario in Kukui’s pocket in front of him, of the various humans all in some level of distress.

**_Your fault._ **

_ “Ash!? Ash, please pick up!” _ His phone squawks out—it was left on speaker mode from last night,  _ shit!  _

Ash panics and lets his crutches fall to the ground with a clatter, then hurls himself over the balcony railing. He’s on the second floor, so it’s only about five feet down—five feet that feel more like ten feet when the only option he has is landing on his ass, thanks to his non-functional left leg. 

“Ash! Holy shit!” Someone yells—Kiawe? Kukui? He doesn’t know, several people are talking at the same time and all their auras are mixing together and it’s  _ too much.  _

Ash scrambles to his feet—foot—as fast as he can, ignoring the sharp pain in his abdomen, then guides himself over to the nearby maintenance shed by hopping himself over with his hand on the wall. Using his free hand, he raises his phone to his ear. “Clemont, you still there?” 

_ “Yes—Ash, what is going on!? Greninja is shaking head to toe, like after the Crisis!”  _

**_Your fault. Lysandre. Killer, just like him._ **

He latches the shed door behind him, enveloping him in darkness other than the soft glow of his phone, then sinks down to the dirt floor next to a lawnmower. “I jumped over a railing. I’m fine. Tell him I’m fine.” 

_ “He is literally inconsolable!” _ Clemont nearly shrieks. 

Greninja’s aura, like a waterfall, cool and fluid, fills his mind even more than it usually does.  _ Bond. Bond. Bond. We are one. We are one. Stronger, even stronger, become one. _

Ash hisses, “Greninja, no, I will  _ not _ let you. I can’t hurt you any more than you’re already hurting!”

The wall of water is all over him, covering and intermingling with his own aura. Ash focuses as much as he can to push it back, but his aura’s already all over the place. He can’t focus.

_ “Ash, he won’t listen to me. I’m pretty sure he’s trying to bond.” _

It’s too much. Too much.

Too much to hold back.

He lets the waterfall wash over him, over him  _ all the way. _ He doesn’t hold anything back. A full bond.

Tension releases everywhere as his pain diffuses between the two of them…his aura lines up with Greninja’s in perfect sync. 

Then he’s there—well, not  _ there, _ but he could see everything in Kalos. Clemont’s face, his hands on his shoulders, the glittering city lights outside the window, the quiet snoring of Bonnie in the room over,  _ everything. _

_ “Ash…” _ Clemont’s voice comes from in his head  _ and _ from the phone—that’s trippy. 

Ash can’t find the strength to say anything, so he just lets himself melt against Clemont’s shoulder/against the lawnmower. 

Clemont pats his back awkwardly, but the warmth is still there.  _ “Ash, Greninja looks like he’s close to fainting. Are you somewhere safe?”  _

Honestly, if he passed out and no one found him for a while, that’d be okay. He doesn’t need to cause anyone else more trouble. “Don’t worry,” Ash murmurs, “The bond is stable.”

_ “I’m still gonna worry, but okay.”  _

Greninja’s thoughts are calm, finally, floating by without stress or strain because he  _ knows _ his trainer is there. The aura waterfall pours between them smoothly, almost laminar in flow. They almost never bond if they aren’t in battle—this is a nice change in pace.

And the various aches and pains Ash experiences nowadays…usually they’re just in the background for him, like white noise. But now that he and Greninja are sharing them, the noise is down to a slight whisper. It’s so soothing, Ash might just fall asleep.

Or he might pass out. Either one. His aura is calm, but its amount is very low because he’s sharing it with Greninja and he’s not entirely healthy anyway. So that might be a small problem.

Clemont squeezes his shoulder gently.  _ “Hey. Hey, don’t fall asleep yet. Where are you?”  _

“In a…shed.” Ash leans further onto Clemont/the lawnmower.

_ “Does anyone know where you are?” _

“No, don’t think so.”

Clemont just sighs and hugs him a little tighter. 

Ash has never felt so relaxed. He’s floating, floating in the lazy river of Greninja’s calm aura, and he’s in Clemont’s arms. So nice. So nice, in fact, that he doesn’t resist when he feels himself start to black out.

* * *

  
  


“Where the fuck did he go!?” Kiawe shouts, neck muscles clenched so every vein could be seen. 

All the kids look to Kukui for guidance, as if he knows more than they do. He starts to postulate, “He definitely went to the right when he jumped down. He can’t have gone far. We’ll keep looking.” He clenches his shaking fists. “What even  _ happened? _ ” 

“Pikapi…!” Pikachu calls, lifting his nose from the ground. 

“We dunno! He just got up and ran away!” Sophocles oversimplifies.

Lillie clarifies, “He was answering his phone. I saw it go off.” 

“…We also were staging a small intervention,” Mallow adds quietly. “He wasn’t too pleased.” 

Kukui narrows his eyes at them, then shakes his head. “Okay. Well. Like I said, he can’t have gone far, he left those.” He gestures to the crutches abandoned on the second floor. “Pikachu can probably find hi—“ 

He's interrupted when one of his pokeballs jumps out of his pocket. In a flash of light, Lucario appears.

His eyes widen. “Lucario, do you know where…” Kukui trails off when Lucario grabs his hand and starts dragging him toward the maintenance shed next to the building, howling the whole way there.

“Luca-luca,” he grunts as the spike on his paw grows—Metal Claw—and he chops the lock off the door.

Pikachu squeezes inside first, then exclaims, “PIKAPI!”

Kukui stops himself from cursing aloud when he makes it into the cramped shed. Ash is laying in the dirt up against a lawnmower and is clearly either unconscious or catatonic.

_ “Ash! Bordel de merde!” _ His phone, abandoned in the dirt, squawks some more in Kalosais. 

Kukui recognizes that voice—that’s the Lumiose Gym Leader, the one Burnet is convinced is dating Ash.

Without thinking, Kukui picks the phone up. “Clemont? Is that you?” 

_ “…Professor Kukui!? Oh, thank God! Is Ash awake?”  _

Kukui heaves Ash into his arms and out of the shed. “No, he is most definitely not awake. What the hell happened?” 

_ “Ash underwent the Bond Phenomenon. He should wake up very soon, within twenty seconds if this is following the previous patterns,” _ Clemont rattles off.  _ “Greninja’s waking up now.”  _

Kukui, who had very little experience with Ash’s Greninja aside from the one incident during his livestream last week, finds himself unable to say anything.

Thankfully, he doesn’t have to—Ash does. “…Pikachu?” He murmurs very quietly to his partner, nestled up against his chest.

“Pikapi!” Pikachu coos with relief. 

Ash’s eyes drift up lazily to Kukui. “…Kukui-hakase? Y’can let me down, ‘m okay.” 

“…What? Ash, thirty seconds ago I thought you were dead again, you’re not okay,” Kukui chuckles with incredulity but without humor. 

All of the kids are just staring—Mallow and Kiawe look like they might come closer, but Lillie of all people holds them back. 

Ash waves to them, completely oblivious.

Kukui winces. “Um, guys, I think things are kinda under control here, I’m gonna go ahead and say class dismissed.” 

None of them move.

Kukui, dumbfounded, only finds himself able to walk the few steps to lay Ash down on a nearby bench, then kneel at his side.

Ash gives a lopsided grin and takes his phone, forgotten in the past forty-five seconds, from Kukui’s hand. “Clem? Think Greninja and I passed out.” 

Kukui would have rolled his eyes if he weren’t so damn scared.

He nods. “No, ‘m okay.” 

Ash eyes Kukui for a second. “I dunno, maybe? You should get Sycamore to tell him.” 

“I promise.” 

“Bye.” Ash sets his phone down on his chest, then looks up at the sky absentmindedly.

Kukui puts a hand on Ash’s shoulder, alerting him. “…You wanna tell me why the last ten minutes happened?” 

Ash shrugs. “I can try, but it’s not gonna be a good explanation. Clemont said he would get Professor Sycamore to explain it all to you in a nice, uh, science-y way.” 

“You passed out because of the Bond Phenomenon?” Lillie asks quietly, almost undetectably.

“Uh, yeah…how d’you know that?” Ash cocks his head.

“Professor Sycamore talked about it in his podcast once. He didn’t say your name, but he did mention a Greninja and a ‘very unique Trainer,’” she explains. “…But there’s no Greninja here.” 

“No, no, Greninja and I don’t have to be close to do it.” Ash sits up, brushing off Kukui’s hands trying to push him back down with enough strength to convince Kukui he had nearly recovered from his episode. “It’s really hard to put into words. We just…do it.” 

“…Why, though? Why now? Why here?” Sophocles inquires, frowning slightly. 

“‘Cos Greninja was worried about me, wanted to see me.” Ash shrugs. “Er,  _ be _ me.” 

“Ash, you’re not making any sense,” Mallow murmurs. “Did you hit your head when you jumped off the balcony? And that’s why you passed out?”

“No, no,” Ash waves his hands. “‘M just not explaining good. Sorry.” 

“Luca! Luca, lucario, luca-ri-oo!” Lucario suddenly explodes into barking. He gesticulates back and forth, Aura Spheres dancing in his hands. 

“Be careful with those,” Kukui murmurs gently and pulls him back from the students. Lucario looks at him with a mix of desperation and…is that anger?

“Lucario, don’t be mad at him, he couldn’t have known. Be mad at me.  _ I’m _ the one who passed out and made everybody worry,” Ash asserts, looking rather pleased at his deduction. 

Everyone glares at him.

Kukui blinks. “Um, okay, class dismissed, seriously. I’m gonna take this one home,” he gestures to Ash. 

“We’re not gonna finish class? I wanted to battle!” Ash pouts. “I promise I’ll sit down while I battle! Let me stay!” 

Kukui looks at him for a few seconds.

Ash gives him puppy eyes.

_ Why does he always give him the puppy eyes!? _

Kukui shakes his head. “Ugh. Okay, fine. But the minute you look out of it, we’re going home, you hear?” 

“Yes!” Ash cheers. “Okay, cool!” He stands up onto his one foot, then promptly falls onto Kukui side with a giggle. “Uh…where’re my crutches?” 

Kukui chuckles and sighs at him, then scoops him up once more.

* * *

Kap had a shitty day. His new patient was difficult and kept him out for  _ hours _ while the Kahuna and a mildly-attractive dude stayed with her. 

Whatever. He doesn’t care. He’s only looking out for Burnet now.

Literally. He couldn’t find her in the parking lot. 

He leans forward on his Bugatti motorcycle and scrolls through Twitter until he hears the rumble of her Camry approaching, whipping into the spot next to him.

She hops out, clad in leggings, an old Masked Royal t-shirt that bagged off her frame intentionally, and a too-big pair of slides that looked suspiciously like Kukui’s. “Sorry, sorry I’m late, I had to go home and change and, uh, my boss was being difficult.” 

“No prob. Let’s get going, wife,” Kapono laces their hands together.

She glares at him, then laughs. “…No, Kap, I’m not doing that!” 

“Okay, for an  _ hour _ . Just in front of my ex! I really wanna show her that I’m a successful adult with an adult-y personal life!” He implores. “You know Kukui won’t care.” 

She bites her lip. “Kukui won’t care about the whole you-parading-as-my-husband thing, but he sure as hell will care that he missed my first ultrasound.” 

Kap stops walking. “It’s not too late. I’ll call him right now, if you want.” 

“No. I’m in it for the long haul now.” She holds his hand a little tighter. “We’ll get pictures to show him later.”

“Whatever makes your heart happy, tita.” He pushes the clinic door open and walks with her to the front desk. 

The receptionist smiles brightly. “Alola! Last name?” 

“Mahelona,” Kapono cuts in before Burnet can say  _ Kukui _ on instinct. 

“Wonderful, they’re all ready for you down the hall in 112.” 

Kap smiles and leads Burnet down the hall, decorated with ridiculous stock images of pregnant women in fields of flowers and inhumanly cute babies that frankly made Burnet want to laugh, into the correct door. 

“Okay, okay, we have to get into position before she gets in here!” Kapono whispers covertly but giggles wildly. Burnet is herded into the reclining exam chair while Kapono sits at her side, holding her hand sweetly…but not as well as Kukui ever could.

Burnet almost starts to cry, but she’s interrupted as the door opens. 

“Alola!” The nurse greets cheerily. She’s hot, Burnet won’t deny that—long, curly black hair tumbles down her shoulders and her scrubs somehow accentuate her figure. Burnet didn’t look like that anymore, not with the baby and her weight gain and—wait, why is she even comparing herself to this woman? For God’s sake, she’s  _ married!  _

“Annelise! Wow, what a surprise!” Kapono lays on the charm, eyes sparkling. “I’m so glad you could meet my wife, Burnet.” 

She gapes for a moment, then collects herself. “Kapono, it’s wonderful to see you again.” The nurse smiles with forced pleasantry. “I am…happy that you’ve settled down with someone you actually love, really, I am!”

Burnet tries not to scoff and shake her head while Kapono spits out various dramatic illustrations of married life. What has she gotten herself into? This girl and Kap had  _ baggage.  _

“Okay, um, Mrs. Mahelona, I’d like to examine you quickly before the doctor comes in.” The nurse, blushing and flustered, fidgets with her stethoscope and various other instruments. 

As she pokes and prods at Burnet, she can’t help but compare Kap to this woman—Annelise Boyd, her name tag said. Kap was so much more smooth and fluid with his examinations of Ash; despite him being a pain in the ass, they were lucky Kapono had gotten assigned to Ash’s case and not someone like this.

“Alright, if you’d let me get your weight,” she instructs with polite detachment. Burnet heaves herself off the chair, says a Hail Mary in her head, and steps onto the scales.

It ticks up a few more pounds than usual. Fuck, Burnet knew it, she was getting fat, and now this woman knows and Kukui’s probably disgusted and…what was the point of this argument?

“Well, um, the doctor will be in momentarily.” The nurse smiles to Burnet, then turns to Kap. “Kapono, good luck, really. You’re, um. Good luck with…all that.” 

Kapono smiles smugly. “Thank you, Annelise.” 

The door closes behind her.

Kapono tilts his head back and laughs. “What a  _ bitch. _ I can’t believe we lasted so long.” 

Burnet gives him a look of suspicion. “How long, exactly?” 

“Five months.” 

Burnet scoffs. “Five? Seriously? That’s all?” 

Kap balks. “Okay, for a  _ gay man _ who thought he could somehow turn straight if surrounded by her perky asscheeks, that’s an  _ eon _ .” 

“…Fair.” Burnet chews on her nail absentmindedly. “Were you ever actually in love with her? ‘Cos she seemed pretty damn attached to you.” 

“I was about as in love with her as I am with you.” Kapono sighs, slightly saddened by Burnet’s question. “I do feel bad for her. A little bit, only a little. She was so fuckin’ mean to me in that relationship, brah, it was  _ toxic _ . That’s why I needed to stick it to her.” 

Burnet holds her hands up. “Whatever you say.” She can’t help but feel like she sinned. “Anyway. Have you been in a relationship since?” 

“Um, sort of.” Kapono blushes.

Burnet rolls her eyes at his sudden shyness. “Oh, come on, now you gotta tell me about the lucky bastard who got you.” 

Kapono clears his throat. “Well, uh, his name’s Bayani.” 

“Ooh?” Burnet feels like it was last night, discussing romance with her kid…except Ash is probably more mature than Kap. 

“He’s incredibly sexy.” 

Burnet laughs. “Oh, yes, of course.” 

He laughs and scratches the back of his neck. “It’s still early, though. Don’t go soundin’ wedding bells, we aren’t exclusive yet.” 

“Okay, I won’t, promise.” Burnet holds her hands up. She’s actually very glad he had someone…somewhat stable. Continuing to play girls damages everything and helps nothing.

Burnet wants to explore this further, but a knock on the door interrupts her. “Alola, ma’am, I’m Dr. Palakiko, and I’m here to give you your ultrasound.” 

She straightens up. “Hi,” she’s only able to say. 

She’s nervous.

The pleasantly plump, motherly-appearing woman smiles. “Relax, mama, you’ll be fine.” 

Burnet’s nerves don’t calm  _ at all. _ Mama!?

She zones out for the next…who-knows-long. She answers the questions the doctor asks numbly—has she had any other children? No (technically). History of genetic disorders? No. High blood pressure? No. Previous miscarriages? Probably, too early to tell for sure but too late for it to not hurt. 

She lets the doctor lift her t-shirt up and pull her legging waistband down.

She feels the cold gel on her belly, hears the soft whirring of the ultrasound machine.

_ Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth—  _

“…Ah, there’s baby!” 

And all of a sudden, it’s real—realer than the stars in the sky and the sand on the beach and the saline leaking from her eyes and the ring on her finger.

The picture on the monitor is blurry; her baby is barely more than a tangle of white and black lines. 

“Burnet, it’s okay. I promise, everything’s gonna be fine,” Kap murmurs in her ear, a smile plastered on his face toward the doctor but a desperate strain in his voice toward Burnet.

She just keeps crying. She doesn’t even really know why—is she happy?

She’s happy.

She’s just gonna keep telling herself that.

* * *

_ “Ah! Kukui, mon amie. And Ash, I’m glad to see you looking well.” _ The Kalosais Pokemon Professor smiles through the living room TV screen.  _ “Clemont told me you and Greninja bonded today, even twelve thousand kilometers away! Remarkable! Well done!”  _

Ash nods meekly and holds Pikachu closer. “Thank you.” 

_ “Kukui, I hear you may be in need of a lecture.” _ Sycamore raises his brow.  _ “I could talk for hours on the fascinating topic of the Bond Phenomenon, but I suppose I could cut it a bit shorter for you, eh?”  _

Kukui laughs and rolls his eyes—they were the two youngest Regional Professors, and thus had a pretty tight rivalry…and it was maybe true that Kukui had a low tolerance for long lectures. “If you can, that is.” 

_ “Well, I am no teacher such as yourself, but I will try.”  _

Sycamore seems ready to launch into his lecture, but the door unlocks behind them. “Hey, boys—um,” Burnet pauses her greeting and scoots out of the frame when she notices Sycamore on the screen. 

_ “Bonjour, Madame Burnet!”  _

“Hi, Augustine,” Burnet blushes.

Kukui laughs abruptly. “Don’t flirt with my wife, Aug, she’s mine now.” 

_ “Oh, of course not, why would you ever suggest such a thing?” _ Sycamore smiles smugly.  _ “Anyway. Bond Phenomenon. Join us, Burnet.”  _

She sits down next to them, kissing Kukui’s cheek conspicuously, rubbing Ash’s shoulders, and scratching Pikachu’s ears. “Enlighten me, Professor.” 

_ “It would be my honor.” _ Sycamore grins again, eager to flex his intellect. “ _ So! As you may know, Greninja has no Mega-Evolved form, nor do the other Kalos starters. This being said, there is an old Kalos legend in which Greninja grew to a higher form. This was later confirmed when Ash here was able to undergo the Bond Phenomenon, or Ash-Greninja, as it may be referred to. Theoretically, this Bond is rooted in deep trust with the trainer and the Greninja, and can be achieved under certain circumstances, of which remain unclear. However, Greninja undergoes an undeniable physical change during the process, and the Trainer is able to reach a…heightened awareness through Greninja. Ash has described how he can experience some of Greninja’s sensory abilities, but in exchange, feel Greninja’s pain in battle and sometimes lose consciousness if the bond is unstable, correct?” _

“Mmhm.” Ash nods, still rather shy. 

_ “It is a very mysterious process. I am sorry I lack more specific detail on why it occurs, or how it exactly comes to be. But it seems Greninja and Ash share some sort of…mutual energy. Leader Clemont describes it as their ‘battle pulse,’ but I have yet to determine the exact nature of this energy or its source. It is rather unfortunate, because I wish to publish.” _ He pouts slightly. 

“I, um, I can tell you why the Battle Pulse thing works, if you wanna know,” Ash murmurs. 

Sycamore brightens.  _ “I would be very interested in this, Ash. What are you thinking?”  _

Ash clears his throat and sits up taller. “Um…do you know how aura works?” 

Burnet stiffens visibly—Kukui shoots her a quizzical look, but she doesn’t return his gaze. 

Sycamore leans in, curious.  _ “I am aware of the basic principles of aura, yes, but it is not my specialty. Professor Kukui probably knows more about it than I do, as the Move Professor himself and the trainer of a Lucario.”  _

“I really don’t know much, outside of its use in Aura Sphere and how Lucario uses it for empathic abilities,” Kukui deflects. “What connection do you think it has, Ash?”

Ash clears his throat again—he’s nervous. “Well, uh, the whole ‘battle pulse’ thing is just our aura matching up in intensity or, um, wavelength?”

All of the scientists in the room are a little dumbstruck, save for Burnet, who only nods.

Ash continues, “And, ah, well, I have…a better grasp on my aura and other pokemon’s aura than other people do.” 

Sycamore’s brow furrows further.  _ “Ash, are you talking about Aura Guardians? The legend?”  _

“Kinda.” Ash waves his hands. “Um, before we go any further here, can we do the thing where we decide that this is gonna be a secret? PSPN’s already talking about me all the time.” 

_ “Um, sure.”  _

Kukui and Burnet both nod.

“…Professor Sycamore, you remember how Lysandre used to call me the Chosen One and all that?”

His gaze softens.  _ “I do, Ash.”  _

“Part of that was because, uh, I’m kindof a halfway Aura user.” Ash shrugs. “The other part of that was, um, other weird Legendary stuff that I don’t know how to explain.” 

Once again, Sycamore and Kukui find themselves dumbstruck, while Burnet nods in understanding.

Ash turns to her. “…You knew?” 

She nods again, softer this time.

“How?”

“Brock,” she murmurs. 

“…Oh.” He shakes himself off. “Anyway, yeah. So, uh, I went to Rota this one time and a bunch of stuff happened and I ended up becoming the inheritor of a Lucario’s aura and, uh, ever since, apparently I’m…unique.” 

_ “You certainly are, Ash.” _ Sycamore pauses, finger on his chin.  _ “So, you manipulate your aura in some way to match Greninja’s? And this is how you Bond?”  _

“Yeah,” Ash confirms. “…I don’t really think it’s all that special, though. It doesn’t require that much effort from me. I think it just takes the right person and having a lot of trust in your partner.” 

_ “Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating.” _ Sycamore beams.  _ “What a fantastic paper this will make—“  _

“Didn’t you hear him before? Ash wants to keep this private. Lysandre knew and it put Ash in danger. You won’t publish,” Kukui growls, bursting into a fit of anger and defensiveness he didn’t think he had.

It feels a little bit like when he TKO'd Rampage. Or when he broke the punching bag.

_ “I—of course not. I apologize, Ash, I did not mean to overstep my boundaries. I will not publish.”  _

Ash doesn’t say anything. He just bites his lip and nods.

_ “Well, this has been rather enlightening for all of us, hasn’t it?” _ Sycamore clasps his hands together.  _ “I appreciate you sharing this with me. It will not leave my lips.”  _

“Thanks,” Ash says, shy again. “…If you really want to publish it—“ 

Sycamore shakes his head.  _ “No, Kukui is right. I will not put you in danger again.”  _

“O-okay.”

_ “Um, if that will be all, my lab is about to open up for the new trainers to start their journey.” _ He smiles, but tighter than before.  _ “Thank you all very much.” _

The screen flicks off.

Ash sniffs. “I really messed up big time today, huh? Now Professor Sycamore can’t even publish his fancy paper.” 

Kukui and Burnet look at each other, both thinking the same thing:  _ what the fuck are we supposed to do now? _

“Ash, that is not your fault. None of this is your fault,” Kukui insists. “Sycamore was way outta line if he thought he could publish that against your consent.” 

“But…but…it’s still  _ my fault _ .” Ash insists, fists balled up. “’S all my fault. I put myself in danger, not the other way around. I was the one who  _ offered _ to use my aura in Rota. If I…I…” 

Ash looks like he’s about to implode—his face is pale from holding his breath, sweat dots his hairline, and Pikachu is ramming himself into his shoulder without getting any response. 

He deflates just as suddenly as he got worked up. “I should have just  _ died. _ That way, none of this mess would have happened, and all the trouble I cause could  _ end, _ and I could stop hurting the people I love.” 

If Kukui and Burnet were floored before, they were down to bedrock now.

“Ash… _ no _ .” Burnet’s voice is low and full of carefully measured dread. “No. Don’t even  _ say _ that.” 

“It’s true. It’s true.” Ash starts to sob. “I’ve hurt every single person I’ve ever loved because I drag them into dangerous situations. Don’t deny it. I did it to you guys, first with Solgaleo and the Nihilego and then with all the other Ultra Beasts and now…now with  _ this _ and people…people trying to hurt our family. Kukui-hakase has nightmares as bad as I do now. And you, Burnet-hakase…there’s something…I don’t know what it is, but I just  _ know _ it’s my fault.” 

Kukui finally musters up the willpower to speak. “Ash, you’ve got it  _ all _ wrong this time. It’s nothing like that. I—I dunno, but if  _ anything _ ever happened to you again, I would not be okay.” Kukui ignores his own quivering bottom lip. “You deserve…the  _ entire _ universe and more, and I can’t give that to you, but I promise I’ll do everything in my  _ power _ to help you get through this mess. I  _ promise _ . Just…just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.” 

Ash holds his gaze with Kukui—tears pour over his eyelashes.

He has never seen the kid cry so much in so little time.

Kukui blinks back his own tears. “I love you, Ash. I love you so  _ damn _ much, and I only worry about you because of that. It’s not your fault. My poor coping skills are never your fault.” 

“The same goes for me.” Burnet sits back on the couch with one hand on her belly and one over her mouth—that’s her crying tic, the one when she’s about to  _ really _ cry, not like the little cry sessions she’s been having this past week. “Ash, I…I don’t want to hide anything from you, or from you, Kukui, I just. It’s all hard. And I’m not handling it properly. But I don’t want my own poor behavior hurting either of you. It’s…it’s not your fault.” She hiccups. “I want you to feel so loved that you’d never even  _ think _ of leaving this world. I dunno, I guess I just never expressed myself enough before, but we love you  _ so _ much. Kukui and I wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves if you left us permanently. So just stay. Please, God, just stay.” 

Ash’s eyes flick between them both for a solid three seconds, then he abruptly grasps Kukui’s right hand and Burnet’s left. He presses their palms to his cheek.

Ash’s eyes close.

And a feeling unlike Kukui has experienced—it washes over him like a high-tide rip current, and all of a sudden, he’s dragged in. 

Every emotion in every combination is surrounding him, but it’s all uniquely Ash. Memories drip around him, some sweet like honey and some bitter like burnt coffee, but they’re all of  _ them— _ of Kukui, Burnet, and Ash. Random memories fly by…the house, the beach, the sun, the sand, the smell of korokkesando and berries, Kukui’s sweatpants on his cheek and his too-big hat on his head, the smell of Burnet’s perfume and the bounce of her curls in the sea breeze. It’s…intimate. Close.  _ Together. Safe. Stay. Be here. I. Love. You. _

And as fast as it comes, it goes. 

Ash guides Kukui and Burnet’s hands down off his cheeks to the couch cushions. “I’m sorry. I…I had to show how much I love you.” 

None of them have to say anything. Burnet pulls Ash onto her lap first, then Kukui wraps his longer arms around both of them until they stop shaking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha Ha Ha I'm Crying At The Words I Put Down
> 
> (stay safe everyone love you)


	15. efficacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> not all progress is created equal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi this is a repost with edits! some things have been tidied up and a few things have been added :) 
> 
> i could not have done this without 1) UnknownWanderer, thank you SO much and 2) Sapphiria, you queen.

“...Uh, what else, there’s, uh, pancakes in the fridge, and there’s a pot of coffee…might be a little stale by now, I made it at 4 AM—”

Burnet puts a finger to her husband’s rambling lips. “You’re crazy, Kukui. How much sleep did _you_ get last night? Three hours?” 

He smiles, but it’s the pained kind that draws at the corners of his lips and lowers his eyes. “Two hours and thirty-two minutes, but who’s counting?” He shrugs off her concern, kisses her one last time on the lips, then chucks his backpack-briefcase over his shoulder. “…Text me that you made it to the hospital safe, please?” 

“Absolutely. Text _me_ when you get to Manalo.” Burnet gets another last-time-I-promise kiss. 

He smiles, quiet and serene for a split second, then straightens the lapel of his lab coat, turns on his heel, and closes the front door behind him. 

“Munch-munch!” With her husband absent, Burnet’s furry toddler materializes at her side. 

Burnet strokes his teal fur, still clean and smooth from Ash’s meticulous grooming skills. “Mornin’, sweetcheeks. Let’s get Ash, shall we?” 

She turns toward the stairs, pulling down the tank top that had ridden up her midriff through sleep and stroking her slightly-swollen belly. She stops abruptly when she hears the rumble-mews of Incineroar coming up the stairs, accompanied with Pikachu’s trills—Ash had come to her, apparently.

“Good morning, Professor,” Ash greets, smiling sleepily and nestling close into Incineroar’s arms with his crutches nowhere in sight. He avoids them like the plague, in fact, and that will probably come back to bite him in the ass today at PT. Incineroar sits down on the couch, leaving Ash resting on her knee. 

Burnet smiles at the scene. They move as a unit, a finely oiled and polished machine driven by Ash’s careful nurturing. “Good morning, Ash, Incineroar, Pikachu. How'd you sleep?” 

“Good!” He clutches Pikachu tightly as he yawns. “What’s up for today?” 

“Breakfast, then PT in about thirty minutes-ish. And I gotta get ready, too…” She yawns, instinctively holding onto her belly while she does it. “Kukui made pancakes, lemme microwave them for you.” 

“I got it, Professor! You can go get ready!” He beams and jumps up, balancing precariously on one foot and hopping away before Burnet can stop him. 

Burnet frowns, trying to decide whether she could feasibly leave him alone. “ _Please_ be careful.” 

“I am! Don’t worry!” He puffs out his chest and grins. “How many pancakes do ya’ want?” 

“Just one, love.” At the mere thought of food, bile rises in her throat again. 

“Okay.” He plops the pancake plate in the microwave. “…Can I eat your extra one then?” 

She chuckles, “Go for it. Oh, and Kukui told me you should check Canvas.” 

He pales. “Oh, no. Did I fail the stats quiz?”

She clarifies, “Not that I know of. He said you’d be ‘pleasantly surprised.’” 

“Oh?” He smiles cautiously. “Pikachu, maybe I made a good grade on somethin’! Imagine that!” 

“Pika-pika-pika!” 

She laughs and takes one last look back at them, then heads down the stairs to her and Kukui’s bedroom/Ash’s bedroom. All of her clothes were still down there, of course. 

She was _actually_ going out today…she should wear something more than sweatshirts and gym shorts. What could she wear that could hide her belly? Something loose…her work outfit was _not_ that, so she couldn’t fall back on that as an option. She could steal one of Kukui’s lab coats? …But it was hot out, she didn’t want to deal with that, and Kukui also would notice and ask why she had it on if she wasn’t working. 

Ugh, this is stupid. She’s putting so much effort into this and her belly is still pretty tiny. But still, some part of her is continually niggling at her self-esteem about it.

She’s eight weeks now, though. With every passing day, her belly gets a little bigger.

She gives in, resorting to a one-handed google search as she brushes her teeth.

_outfit to hide baby bump_

A bunch of links show up. Layers, jackets, sweaters…but what about when you live in a fucking tropical climate?

Also, peplum? What even is that? Burnet’s too busy for fashion; she always lets Olivia handle that for her.

She switches over to messages—she needs her Kahuna consultant.

_hey_

_what the fuck is a peplum_

**olly: i literally bought you one the last time we went to the mall**

Olivia types a bit more, then sends a picture...wait, is that Burnet in the try-on room at Anthropologie?

**olly: ur kinda cute i guess :)**

Oh. Huh. That works out well. She’s already got one.

_thanks luv_

**olly: how are you doing**

**olly: answer me straight**

_managing. we’re ok tho_

**olly: that’s good**

**olly: wait it’s saturday**

**olly: wanna get drinks tonight??**

Burnet considers this. Could she do that? 

…No. Definitely not. Is she crazy!? She’d rather spend the evening with the boys anyway. Even though the whole Sycamore fiasco was a full week ago, they were still kinda clinging to each other.

_i really can'_ _t tonight, sorry. rain check??_

**olly: sure just lmk. if you change your mind you know where to find me tonight**

_ok_ _!!!_

Olivia leaves her on read. Wonderful, now she’s pissed her off. Or maybe Burnet was imagining that.

Is a symptom of pregnancy self-esteem issues?

Ugh, whatever. 

She starts combing her hair gently, then discovers that it’s too damn curly today. She _could_ straighten it…naw. She gathers it up and coils it into a bun, pulling a few strands down to frame her face and to make it seem like she put some effort into it.

Burnet checks her phone—12:13. Seventeen minutes ’til she and Ash need to go; fuck makeup, she doesn’t have the time or the motivation. 

She moves out of the bathroom and dives into the closet, rummaging around for the top. She pulls it out, catching a glimpse of the white linen…peplum. This is the most formal thing she’s worn in like, three weeks, and it’s not even formal. It needed steaming, too; well, whatever, she’d have to rely on that Alolan humidity. 

Pulling it over her head, she admires how it hangs over her waist. Her larger-than-normal boobs made it poke out even further, so it didn’t even come close to touching her belly. She wasn’t showing at all in this. 

She pulls her phone back out, needing her consultant’s wisdom again.

_what pants should i wear with said peplum_

**olly: do the lil tiny jean shorts that kukui likes lol**

Damn, those were kinda tight recently, though. But that’s why Kukui likes them, huh? She chuckles to herself quietly.

_okiedokie_

Burnet grabs the shorts from her dresser drawer and pulls them on, noticing how they were a little snug. But, Olivia was right, they were cute.

She grabs the silver hoops Kukui had gotten for her for their “first-and-a-half” anniversary three months ago. She pokes them in her empty earlobe, then adjusts the ring resting in the middle of her clavicle. 

She snaps a quick picture in the mirror for approval.

_look ok?_

**olly: hot damn!!! girl you look great**

**olly: i see those booty gains 👀 gimme some of that slim thicc mama**

Ha. She doesn’t know the _half_ of it. 

_lol love you hon_

Burnet sticks her phone in her back pocket before she can see Olivia’s reply, losing interest. She’s so exhausted, mentally and physically. But all this stressing over the pregnancy—it’ll pay off. Things will calm down, and she’ll tell the boys, and it’ll be beautiful. She just needs to hold out for that.

“YES! BURNET-HAKASE! GUESS WHAT I GOT ON MY GYATSUBI TEST!” Ash hollers from upstairs, squealing excitedly.

Burnet runs up the stairs with minimal panting. “What? What’d you get?” 

“A ninety-four!” His eyes sparkle. “This is great! I have a B in Literature now!” 

Burnet beams. “Yay!” She cups his cheek and kisses the top of his hair. “Congratulations, honey, you earned it!” 

“Well, you were the one who read it to me and helped me study! So, thank you!” He continues to smile widely, extremely pleased. He stabs the last piece of pancake on his plate with his fork and stuffs it in his mouth. 

She fluffs his hair and sticks the plate in the sink—for later, she justifies. “Okay, are you ready to go?” 

“Mmhm!” Ash, rocking on the kitchen barstool, confirms. “You look pretty, Burnet-hakase!” 

Wow, it must be noticeable that she finally put some effort into her looks. “Thank you, sweetheart.” She grabs his crutches, abandoned in a pile on the living room carpet, and passes them off to Ash.

He gathers them under his arms and wobbles like a newborn deerling. “Kap’s gonna be mad at me, huh? I suck at using these. Guess I shoulda practiced more.” 

“You’re doing your best. That’s all any of us could ask for.” Burnet places her hands on his shoulders, steadying him. “Besides, if he gets too mad, he can face me in the Battle Royal dome. He hasn’t seen _me_ fight yet.” 

They both snicker, and for the moment there’s a semblance of normalcy in their house. 

* * *

  
  


Kukui sighs. “So. What else today?” 

The lead PR agent clears his throat. “Rainbow Happy Ltd. sent another letter.” 

Kukui groans, “Not again. What’s Viren’s justification for trying to buy us now?” 

“Our ‘lack of entertainment material at this time.’” The agent winces, looking down to the table.

Kukui hisses through his teeth. “Isn’t he in jail? Tax evasion or whatever?” 

“Not yet, the case is working its way through the Unovan system. We all know nothing’s going to come of it anytime soon.” The agent shakes his head. “His offer still stands.” 

“What are we supposed to do about lack of content? The head of our League, like, died,” a sniveling intern chimes in. 

There’s silence while Kukui tries to contain his anger. Hala chuckles, which only makes Kukui angrier.

“O-kay. Do the usual, send a declination to them.” Kukui scratches the back of his neck, fiddling with his bun. “So, ah, what are our other options here? I’m still running into the press everywhere, we need to do something about that.” 

The PR agent starts, “Well, there’s always the PSPN interview, that’s _some_ content, they’ve sent requests—“ 

Kukui hisses through his teeth. Nanu explicitly told him that he and Ash shouldn’t be making public appearances, not when they're being stalked. “I _literally_ just said that it can’t involve Ash directly. What’s so hard to understand about that, huh?” 

Hala, sitting opposite them, lets his expression change from one of frustration to one of concern.

The agent recoils slightly. “…You didn’t say that…sir. But we can come up with something that doesn’t involve him, in that case.” 

“…I didn’t?”

“No, sir.”

Kukui narrows his eyes. He could have sworn that was the first thing he said going into the meeting. “Oh. Well, whatever, now you know. Can we get an interview with someone else? Hell, I could probably bring Guzma in if that would distract the press—“ 

Hala interjects, “I can assure you, that would _not_ be wise.” He pauses, looking Kukui in the eye. “A word, Kukui?” 

Kukui lets his hand slap the table a little more aggressively than needed as he stands up. “Sure.” 

Hala raises a brow at him but follows him outside the office overlooking the stadium. _His_ stadium—no, _Ash’s_ stadium. They come to a stop next to the big picture window where the whole pitch was in view; some of the boundary lines were fading in the sand and needed to be repainted…he could do that himself once this damn meeting finishes…

“Kukui, are you listening?”

Kukui snaps his head away from the window and to Hala. “Ah, no, sorry. What do you need, Kahuna?” 

“I was asking if _you_ were alright.” 

Kukui grins and lets his mouth wander. “Whaddya mean? I’m fine! Is this about what just happened in there? Sorry, I just got a short fuse today, I guess, my bad, nothin’ to worry ab—“ 

“Kukui, stop.” Hala holds out a hand and sets it on his shoulder, making Kukui immediately flinch. “Are you sleeping enough, son?”

Kukui bristles, feeling nauseous at the need to lie. “O-of course I am. What kind of a question is that?” 

“Well, it’s just that you’ve been zoning out every half a second, and you’re rambling like you do when you haven’t had any sleep.” 

Hala’s hand remains on his shoulder, like a lead weight. Is this how Ash feels when Kukui tries to comfort him? Invasive? Overbearing? 

“What’s going on? You’re having issues with Burnet, aren’t you?” 

_How does he always know?_

_But we aren’t even having problems. We’re not. We love each other and that’s all that matters. Burnet can keep things from me. That’s her business. Just because she’s hiding something doesn’t mean she doesn’t trust me. Yeah._

“Olivia offered to visit with her this afternoon and she declined. We’re worried for the two of you.” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. We aren’t having problems.” Kukui actually steps back this time, letting Hala’s hand swing down. “And even if we were, it wouldn’t be any of your business.” Kukui lets his arms cross against his chest. “How about we stop this and go back to getting work done so I can go home and see my wife, okay? Okay.” 

Hala stays right where he is. Stubborn old man. “Kukui, I know this has got to be a hard time for you, but please, you have to tell me what’s wrong so I can help you.” 

Kukui laughs, but it comes out as a wheeze, almost a squeal. He’s gonna throw up if he sits here under Hala’s gaze any longer. “I appreciate that offer, Kahuna, but no, I’m just fine. The only help I need is with the press.” 

“Well then. I think we might be done here.” Hala clears his throat. “What if I just go on for an interview? I’ll say a few words assuring the world that Ash is okay, say a few words about the League, and maybe they could air one of his Grand Trials?” 

Kukui…Kukui didn’t like the thought of anyone or anything putting Ash in the spotlight right now, but that’s an easy solution that Kukui figures would please Hala’s ego. “Sure, Kahuna. That would be wonderful.” Kukui starts turning around. “Go ahead and discuss that with the PR team, I’m going to re-paint the boundary lines on the field.” 

He turns on his heels before Hala can protest and swallows back vomit, running down the stairs toward the field.

He ducks into the entrance tunnel, then unlocks the maintenance room and locates the white cans of field paint. He was gonna do it by hand. Why the fuck not? He didn’t want to go back upstairs to the office, that’s for sure. 

Kukui heads out into the pitch, squinting to adjust to the bright sunlight. It was hot today, and the stadium’s construction blocked the cooling sea breeze. He whips off his lab coat and starts spray painting. It’s tedious work—hell, he hires people to do this normally. But Kukui wants to fix it himself. This is something he can do perfectly, adjust until it’s immaculately straight and white.

He feels Hala’s eyes on him, but ignores the urge to look up to the office and flip him off. He’s an adult. He doesn’t need to act like a child. 

…Okay, maybe running out of the meeting was a little childish. Maybe.

But Kukui deserved that. He deserved to run out, to have some time for himself without feeling like the universe is going to collapse in on him. He did. He deserved that. 

Kukui frowns as the can stops spraying, only hissing with air. He chucks it to the side and picks up the next one.

Then he realizes that he’s made it to the left side of the pitch—Ash’s side. 

He grasps the paint can in his hand, gripping it so tight it might puncture and explode.

The sun beats down on his back as he paints perfectly straight lines. Flawless. He’s fixing things. It’s perfect. He’s doing great. It’s all under his control.

He starts to walk away to get a better perspective of the box he’s painted, the perfectly symmetrical box.

…It’s not perfect, he realizes. The left side is slightly crooked compared to the right. The lines are a little too wide. 

He resists the urge to throw the paint can down. Instead, he takes a deep breath. _It’s okay. Just fix it._ He returns calmly to carefully outlining the box. 

He’d say he’s doing this all for Ash, to make this one thing perfect for him…but he knows Ash doesn’t give a shit whether or not his placement box is crooked. Hell, Ash might even like it better crooked. 

He drops the can, instead whipping out his phone and snapping a picture of it.

_Is this straight or am I outta my mind??_

**My Amazing Wife: yeah it looks fine**

**My Amazing Wife: if you mess with it anymore it might go bad**

_You’re right_

**My Amazing Wife: why are you even painting lmao is there gonna be a match sometime soon**

Kukui suddenly realizes the absurdity of it.

_No_ 😂

_Idk it just made me feel better_

**My Amazing Wife: did it actually tho**

Kukui laughs and shakes his head. _No I guess not_

**My Amazing Wife: i get that**

**My Amazing Wife: r u coming back soon??**

_Prob. Ash is still in pt right?_

**My Amazing Wife: yeah probably for the next few hours, he had to go back and get x rays**

_Well in that case_

_Lunch date? Just the two of us?_

**My Amazing Wife: yes please!!!**

See, Hala? 

They’re just fine.

* * *

“Pi-kachu, pi-kachu, pi, ka, chuuuu!” 

Ash, lounging in the waiting room while he waits for Kap to come back with his x-ray results, rolls his eyes. Pikachu was so bored that he had started singing his ketchup song to entertain himself. 

Pikachu spreads his arms wide. “Pi-ka, pi-ka, pi-ka, pi-kaaa!” 

Ash didn’t dare interrupt him. He’s laying on the charm and cuteness.

“Pikachu, pi, pi-ka-chuuu, pikapi, pi, pi-ka-chuuu!” He croons the final verse. 

Ash claps for him. “It’s been a long time since you sang that song, huh, buddy?”

Pikachu nods. It was a song he came up with on the road. 

“You miss it, huh? Traveling?”

Pikachu shrugs. It had good and bad times. Being stationary in Alola wasn’t quite as exciting, but it was usually less scary. And besides, they’re Champs now. It’s great. 

“I agree.” Ash tickles his cheeks, making them spark and garnering _pipipipi!_ giggles from his starter. 

Pikachu’s ears flick up suddenly. “Ka.” 

On cue, Kap strides up to them with a wide smile on his face. “Guess who’s cast is coming off today.” 

Ash brightens. “Mine? Seriously?” 

Kap nods, making notes on his clipboard. “Yup. X-rays look…incredible for three weeks out, it’s honestly miraculous. Your femur fixation set nicely and your tibia fracture is healing up. There’s no point with the cast anymore, you just keep breaking it, so Dr. Santos and I both agree you should start with the brace.” 

“Yay!” Ash’s excitement dies down for a moment. “…What about the crutches?” 

Kap winces. “They’re staying for another three weeks. Sorry. The weight bearing is gonna come in stages.” He rubs his hands together. “But! This all being said, there’s great progress happening here. C’mon, all my shit is in the other room.” 

Ash pops up from his chair, prepared to hop his way over. 

Kap glares at him. “Don’t even think about it. You’re crutching the way there. Either that or the wheelchair.” 

Ash’s lips curl back into a grimace.

“Thought so.” Kap lets Ash follow him down the hall. It’s a long hallway. Or maybe he’s just out of shape. Who knows.

“Okay, in here,” Kap holds the door out for him, guiding him in with casual ease while Ash attempts to be graceful. Pikachu chirps from his shoulder as he flops against the exam table and lowers himself to lay down.

Kap rolls over a cart of some sort and starts assembling a…saw? “You’re kinda quiet today, brah, what’s up?” 

“Oh, nothing.” Ash brushes him off…frankly, he kinda wanted Burnet-hakase or Kukui-hakase or, y’know, Mama. It’s childish to feel scared, he knows, but he hasn’t ever been alone for this whole medical ordeal…up to this point, he supposes. But Kukui and Burnet are probably having a fun time on their date, which is great, Ash is happy that they went out to do that. Their attention is constantly on Ash—they should have some times for themselves. 

“C’mon, you can tell me.” 

“No, really, nothing’s wrong,” Ash insists. He flinches a little bit when the saw starts vibrating against his leg.

“Alright then. If you don’t wanna talk about what’s wrong, then talk to me about something else.” Kap grins. “Tell me about traveling the world.” 

Ash brightens—this he could talk about. “Traveling the world? What about it?” 

“What was it even like? Journeying everywhere?” 

Ash smiles, suddenly feeling some nostalgia for his old travels. “A lot of fun. Right, buddy?” 

“Pika!” Pikachu confirms. 

“Go on,” Kap eagerly instructs. Ash barely even notices as he starts finishing the last saw cuts. 

“Well, we did lotsa things! Alola’s different, ‘cos like, I journeyed to the other islands and stuff, but I pretty much stayed with Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet at the end of the day. And that was nice, I gotta say, it’s a lot better than just staying in Pokemon Centers.” Ash sighs. “A lot’s different now that I’m Champion. It’s hard for me to even say that, honestly, I still haven’t gotten used to it. But, uh, I was planning on leaving? Like, not for forever, I still got a job here being Champion, but I was gonna go explore some more places. Professor Oak had offered up this, like, interning thing in Kanto with this new professor, where I could go observe stuff in different regions. But then…y’know, this happened.” Ash gestures to the cast Kap was slowly disassembling. “So.”

“I mean, this isn’t a lifelong issue, Ash, you’re gonna recover and it’ll be quick if you keep miraculously healing yourself.” Kap jokes, unaware of the truth in his statement. “My point is, you’re not gonna be tied down forever. So I wouldn’t lose sight of that wanderlust of yours.” 

“…Wanderlust?” 

Kap grins. “Yeah. Like, you wanting to travel, be on the open road. But also—and this is just me saying this, you ain’t gotta follow this—I think it’s nice for you to be able to have a home here. Alola will always love you. They’re obsessed with you. I was obsessed with you when you won the league, brah.” 

“Seriously?” Ash smiles shyly. He’ll never get used to the local fame he experiences. 

“Dead serious, Champ,” he confirms. “But it’s up to you. I know you got a home in Kanto, so that’s cool, too, but wherever you end up going, Alola’ll be here. And the Profs.” 

Ash doesn’t say anything to this, just thinking about it all. It’s gonna be hard to leave Alola—it’s hard for him to even imagine. But some part of him…some part of him _needed_ to. 

“Jesus, faka, what the hell?” Kap exclaims in revulsion, breaking Ash out of his thoughts, as he hinges the cast open. “You have been _sweating_ . I smell a whole lotta shit in my line of work, but this tops it, this is the most _disgusting_ cast I have ever taken off.” He sighs. “Don’t move a muscle. I need to clean your stitches and set up the brace.” 

Pikachu creeps up to sniff it, then dramatically holds his nose. “Pika…” 

“Sorry,” Ash laughs sheepishly. But before Ash can take a look at his newly-freed leg, Kap covers it with a thin sheet of parchment. “…What’s that for?” 

He winces. “Your stitches are…gnarly. I don’t want them to freak you out.” 

Ash frowns. “Let me see them.” 

Kap raises a brow, but removes the sheet.

…Ash didn’t know anything about medicine, but they looked bad. The long line of stitches on his thigh are purple and swollen, while the ones on his calf are almost yellow. His leg is also thinner than it used to be…Kap had called that something. It starts with an A…atro? Trophy? A-trophy? But that wasn’t too alarming to Ash—just those stitches. There must have been fifty of them just for his thigh alone. 

_Those scars are going to be there forever._

Kap, seeing his reaction, reassures, “It’s normal, cousin. I promise. Don’t freak on me. I’m gonna work my cutman magic and clean them up, and it’ll be nothin’ to worry about.” 

Ash swallows. “Okay.” He couldn’t remember ever seeing his stitches before—honestly, everything that happened while he was in the hospital was a blur. 

In fact, all of this is starting to blur. It’s too much for him right now. He just needs to go to a calm place in his mind and relax, like how he and Kukui-hakase and Burnet-hakase and Munchlax and Pikachu do when they all meditate together. 

Kap keeps talking to him, but Ash doesn’t do much more than smile and nod. He’s emotionally spent at this point, thinking only about the beach’s calm waves and Pikachu’s warm fur. 

He forces himself out of his forced meditation when he sees Kap start to assemble a brace, measuring it up against his leg and fitting all the pieces together. 

“Alright, nice, let’s put this faka on.” Kap stands over Ash and slides his leg gently into the contraption, tightening the straps around his thigh and his shin and moving his knee just in the slightest to a teeny-bit-bent position, then adjusting the lock to make a clicking sound. “Okay. How does it feel?” 

“Better than the cast,” Ash immediately observes. It’s just as tight as the cast, but it’s a bit squishier and lets some of his skin to open air. It’s not as hot or sweaty—that’s really nice. And he kinda feels normal, only just a little bit sore. Sorta. Almost. Just, like, as if his skin were really hard and that he didn't have a knee. 

“That’s awesome. Hop up and take a lap around the hall for me.” 

Kap holds out a hand to pull him up and get him to standing, then watches as Ash propels himself down the hallway.

Ash keeps trucking along, but as he turns the corner, he stops in front of one of the exam rooms when he feels an aura—an aura that was weak, _painful_ the last time he sensed it. But this time, it’s stronger. Miss Deputy Zhou. She’s here for PT, too.

She looks up from her phone and smiles, but before Ash can say anything, he’s immediately greeted by a wall of aggressive, red, stormy aura and loud growling. 

A Jumpluff?

He has to use his eyes, not just the aura, to confirm it’s _actually_ a Jumpluff and not a rabid mightyena.

Miss Deputy Zhou gasps, but it’s over in a mere second. Ash knows she’s only protecting her trainer. 

He reaches out his aura carefully, a small _hello, I’m Ash, I’d like to be friends._

Jumpluff melts in Ash’s hands like a microwaved marshmallow. Her dandelion spore puffs tickle his chin as she nuzzles him. _Trust. Connection. Protection._

By sharing his aura with pokemon of all sorts, Ash tended to transfer over all kinds of experiences and memories, and the pokemon would reciprocate. They know each other now. Jumpluff’s protective, for good reason—her trainer was hurt badly by a human who made loud noises and used hot, fast metal balls that poked holes in things. She’s scared of hallways alone. She can smell trinitrotoluene from 5.7 miles away. She likes the feel of the inside of sweatshirts. She likes teriyaki beef jerky.

When Ash lets go of his cuddle with the pokemon, he looks up to see Miss Deputy Zhou’s unhinged jaw. 

Ash smiles gently. They were okay. She was okay. It was calm. 

She doesn’t say anything; she just looks curiously to Ash, unspoken questions on her lips. 

“ _There_ you are, slippery mutha!” Kap, breathless, comes up behind him. “Harassing my other patients, aren’t ya?” 

“I was just hiding from you, no big deal,” Ash laughs. “Bye, Miss Deputy Zhou.” 

She waves with her good hand. “See you around, Ash.” 

Kap shoos him out of the room, feigning disappointment and annoyance, but slings an arm around his shoulder. “Your makua are here.” 

Ash had learned that word. “Oh! Awesome! Are we done then?” 

Kap sighs and rolls his eyes. “I guess so. I can’t believe you managed to avoid any actual PT in your PT appointment.” 

Ash giggles sheepishly, about to provide an explanation, but spots Burnet and Kukui first. “Professors!” 

“Ash! Hey!” Kukui turns from where he was standing with Burnet (slightly apart from each other—Ash notices this, and it unsettles him a little bit) and rubs Ash’s hair.

Burnet looks him up and down. “Look at you! Cast’s off?”

Ash nods. “Mm-hm!” 

“Keiki's doing great.” Kap comes up behind them. “This time next week, that work?” 

Kukui and Burnet nod.

“Nice. See you then, kid, don’t break that brace in the meantime.” 

…

Burnet’s heart, a little tender from the fight she and Kukui just had over lunch, swells with pride—her kid’s so strong. He’s got this giant smile plastered on his face even while he wobbles on his crutches, trying to get out the door.

“Oh, hey, Burnet, wait up.” 

She turns at the sound of Kap’s hushed tone. “Hm?” Kukui and Ash keep walking, distracted by their conversation.

Kapono eyes them until they pass out of the door, then says, “Look, I feel bad for last week. Let me make it up to you.” 

“…What do you mean—“ 

“The whole pretending-to-be-my-wife thing.” Kapono blushes deeply. “Lemme buy you dinner or something.” 

She steps back. That was awfully considerate of him. “That’s sweet of you, Kap, but you don’t have to—“ 

He shakes his head. “No, I want to. Besides, I wanted to check in with you and baby…we can go to Luchador’s. I’ll pay for your enchiladas.” 

Burnet considers it for a second…she told Olivia she wasn’t going to go out…but she shouldn’t hang around the house. She’d just be risking another fight with Kukui. Plus, mexican food sounded perfect right now. “You’re on. How’s tonight sound?” 

He grins. “Tonight’s perfect, tita. I’ll see you there ‘round, I dunno, six?” 

“Then it’s a date.” Burnet smirks and waves, leaving Kap laughing. She jogs out to where the boys are waiting by the car. Whoops, she had the keys.

Kukui cocks a brow at her as she blows a curl out of her face, flustered as she unlocks the car. “Everything okay?” 

Burnet quickly comes up with a story. “Yeah. Kap wants to go out for drinks tonight…is that okay?” 

“Yeah, that’s fine,” he chuckles. “I guess I deserve that for cheating on you with Masked Royal for so long, huh?” 

Burnet frowns at him, narrowing her eyes and feeling unreasonably mad. “…He’s _gay_ , Kukui, it’s not like we’re gonna be doing anything.”

“I know. Go have fun, I don’t mind.” He starts off with a smile, but it transforms into a small, twisted grimace as they continue to look at each other.

Ash shifts awkwardly, drawing the attention of both Kukui and Burnet who had kinda forgotten he was there. 

Kukui shakes his head and slides into shotgun. “Anyway…Ash, you still on for golf today?” 

“Yeah!” Ash says brightly. Burnet can feel her irritation shedding off just at the sound of his voice, and her grip on the steering wheel loosens to a one-hand grasp.

* * *

  
  


“So you can tell what they’re thinking?” Kukui asks, trying to distract himself as he drives the golf cart. He’s scared, he won’t lie; but, driving the golf cart is a good first step back into driving. He’s gotta look strong for Ash, anyhow.

“Well, not really. I can only do that with Lucario, and only if he wants to show me. For everyone else, it’s just feelings. It’s not like I’m a mind reader,” Ash shrugs, holding onto Pikachu on his lap tightly as their golf cart bumps down the path at a slow pace. 

“That’s still incredible, Ash.” Kukui shakes his head, letting his foot on the gas pedal a little heavier. How did he keep this a secret for so long? 

Ash blushes. “It’s not, really. I forget about it most of the time. But being around Lucario amplifies it, I think?” Ash postulates. “Usually it’s just, like…okay, if someone frowns, you know they’re sad, and if someone smiles, you know they’re happy, right?”

“Right,” Kukui says, not quite following this apparent tangent. He parks the golf cart at the edge of the green, and all of Ash’s pokemon who were following behind them start to catch up. Rowlet lands unceremoniously on the hood of the cart.

Ash reaches around the windshield and retrieves the sleepy bird and places it between himself and Kukui safely. “Well, it’s like that. I just know they feel that way. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like anything special, especially if the pokemon is expressive. Like…Pikachu, do your faces!” 

“Pi-ka!” He beams.

“Okay, happy. Now do sad.” 

“Pi-kuh…” He frowns quite dramatically, tears coming to his eyes.

“Now angry.” 

“Pika!” He starts to growl, teeth bared and ears pulled back. Kukui almost jumps back.

“Now mudkip!” 

“Pi-ka-pah!” His ears go up and his lips pull back, and he looks…strikingly like a Mudkip.

“Good job, buddy!” Ash scratches under his cheek, garnering coos from the little mouse. Ash looks to Kukui. “See?” 

Kukui chuckles. “Uh, yeah, I guess? Pikachu is a very talented actor.” 

He puffs out his chest at the compliment. “Pika, pika!” 

“Well, it’s not just that, though. Like, Pikachu can make a bunch of faces, is my point, so it’s easy for me to tell what he’s feeling anyway. Plus, we’re partners, and I understand what he says a lot. So I don’t need aura to feel him.” He pauses, thoughtful. “But like, pokemon that don’t have expressive faces, like…I dunno, Melmetal. I can’t read his face ‘cos he doesn’t really have one, so I can use aura, like, consciously? I can tell when I’m doing it then? But it’s kindof a reflex.” 

“Mel!” Melmetal roars in response to his name and ambles over.

Ash hugs his malleable, shiny waist. “I love you too, buddy!” 

“That’s absolutely fascinating,” Kukui says without thinking.

Ash lets go of Melmetal and recoils slightly. 

“…I mean, it’s impressive and cool and amazing.” 

He straightens. “T-thanks, I guess,” he says quietly. “…but you’re not gonna…tell anyone, are you?” 

“No, Ash, of course not, not if you want to keep it a secret.” Kukui lays a hand on his shoulder as gently as he can. “You can trust me.” 

Ash straightens, even taller than previously. “I-I know.” 

He’s strong, Kukui’ll give him that. “Okay, keiki. Fifth hole.” 

Ash smiles, as if all his troubles fell away in a snap. “Awesome!” 

Kukui grabs the clubs they were sharing from the back of the cart and slings them over his shoulder. Ash had completely abandoned his crutches, per usual, and was in his Incineroar’s arms. She’s purring like a diesel engine, completely enamored with her trainer. 

Kukui presses the tee into the grass and pops Ash’s golf ball on top. 

“Cinn,” Incineroar grunts as she gets Ash into position, lowering him mere centimeters over the ground as if he were standing. Ash accepts the driver Kukui passes him and, in a very professional and serious manner, prepares for his swing.

He takes a deep breath. “Ready, Incineroar?” 

“Cin-a.” 

Ash takes another deep breath and raises the club slightly, then swings. It connects, sending the ball way down the fairway. 

Kukui nods. “Nice one, Ash.” 

“Thanks!” He grins as Incineroar resumes carrying him like a toddler on her hip. 

Kukui laughs lightly and sets up his own tee, sending his ball down the fairway—not as far as Ash’s. Oh well.

… 

They keep playing as Ash’s pokemon frolic around them. Only Incineroar and Pikachu actually seemed interested in the game—Pikachu had an excellent Iron Tail drive, while Incineroar was, of course, Ash’s unofficial Ride Pokemon. 

Ash had just wedged his ball out of a sand trap at the eight hole when he made his first mistake of the evening.

“Oh, no…it’s totally going in the water,” Ash groans as he watches the ball soar towards the lagoon. 

Kukui shrugs. “It’s not a problem, we’ve got plenty of golf balls…wait, don’t tell me— _Lycanroc_ , come back!” 

“Lycanroc!” Ash laughs and rolls his eyes—Lycanroc had taken off to chase the ball…right into the grimy, algae-covered lagoon. Ash wouldn’t be surprised if a Feraligatr lived down in there. 

“I’ll go get him.” Kukui runs off after him, leaving Ash and Incineroar.

Ash eyes the golf cart, a mere fifteen feet away.

Should he?

Kukui was scared to drive just a few hours ago—Ash could tell in his aura—but then he overcame it.

Ash can do that, too. He’s got to. He’s got to do it, he’s just _got to._

“…Incineroar, why don’t you let me down and go help Kukui-hakase,” Ash suggests. He doesn’t want Incineroar to be part of this, just in case he messes up spectacularly. Which he might do. He did the last time he got behind the wheel.

Incineroar eyes him for a moment suspiciously, but then totes him over to the cart, placing him on the passenger seat gently and looking thoroughly pleased with herself for putting her Trainer in a safe spot until she returns.

Well, this is convenient.

Once she’s run a good distance away towards the lagoon, Ash scoots over to the driver’s side. 

He can do this. It’s just a golf cart. The sunset is only now forming, so he can see everything. No one’s coming in the opposite direction. It’s pretty much impossible to fuck up.

Ash places his hands on the steering wheel, gripping it underneath his hands. It’s skinnier than the Jeep’s steering wheel, and a little smaller, too. He can do this.

He ignores the way sweat comes to his brow, the way his vision had narrowed, the way he had started to tremble, the way he was scared.

**_Killer._ **

Once he’s sure he’s got a good grip on the steering wheel, he hovers his foot over the brake. The parking pedal was depressed; he had to push it to turn it off. 

…Wait, he can drive with the brace on, right? He had it resting on the floor of the cart, definitely putting some pressure on it. Well, it didn’t hurt, and he drives with his right foot anyway. Whatever.

**_Killer._ **

He grips the wheel extra-hard and presses down on the brake—the parking brake comes loose immediately, snapping back at him. He jumps and holds in a yelp.

His vision narrows a little bit more. He starts to get nauseous. He feels a little feverish—had it gotten hotter?

He lets up on the brake a little bit, and the cart rolls forward underneath him, out of control, oh shit, fuck, no, this can’t be happening, _shit!_

He slams on the brakes.

**_Killer._ **

His ears are ringing. The aura in him swirls like an angry, stormy sea. Why can’t he do this!? This simple fucking task!? 

His senses are so overloaded, he doesn’t notice when Lucario slips into his mind, when Greninja’s waterfall pokes at his consciousness.

**_Killer._ **

He tastes saliva rising in his mouth. He might barf. His stomach hurts—his abdomen, too, and his leg. He could feel all the little tiny stitches acutely, screaming at him to be a stronger person. The steering wheel is slipping under his fingers, and he can smell a little bit of exhaust. All he hears is the ringing, ringing so loud that he can’t see somehow— 

“…Where’re you goin’, keiki?” 

Ash snaps his head up—Kukui had a hand on the windshield and a hand on the steering wheel. The hand on the wheel shifts slightly to rest on top of Ash’s.

“Are you okay?” 

**_Killer._ **

Ash nods, not finding voice in his throat.

“Ash, I need you to do something for me.” 

**_Killer._ **

How can Kukui-hakase even talk over the ringing in his ears— 

“I need you to put it in park, okay? Just for a second.” 

Ash squints at him. He’s instructing him with such caution, like you might when you find a toddler with scissors. Or a boy with a deadly weapon, a **_killer._ **

“Put it in park for me, Ash.” 

Ash numbly puts his foot to the parking brake and presses down. It clicks.

“Good job. That was great.” 

Ash again can’t find any words. All he did was park the golf cart, it wasn’t like it was...hard or anything.

But Kukui smiles warmly. “Scoot over a little bit, keiki.” 

Ash doesn’t move. No, he’s driving. He’s gonna sit here 'til he gets it right. “No, I-I’m driving.” 

“I know,” Kukui’s quick to reply. “I’m just gonna help you out a little bit. Scoot over, just a little.” 

Ash shifts to the right, just a little. He’s still holding the steering wheel.

“Good.” Kukui lowers himself down next to him, then scoops him up by the hips and places him in his lap. “You steer, I pedal?”

Ash felt like a child, but…

He could feel the tickle of Kukui’s goatee on his neck, very gently, like a little reminder that he wasn’t alone. 

He finds the strength to nod.

“Good deal.” The goatee shifts as he speaks, “You tell me when you’re ready, okay?” 

“I-I’m ready.” 

“Okay. I’m gonna let up on the brake now. You just keep us straight.” 

The golf cart rolls forward slightly. Ash grits his teeth, but Kukui’s arm wrapped around his waist tightens and he relaxes a little bit.

“Good job. You’re doing such a good job. Just keep us straight.” 

Ash steers the wheel gently, making little course corrections as he goes. It’s not hard—it’s second nature. He’s only had his license about three months, but he’s driven plenty. He usually cruises around in the Jeep at least four times a week, even if it’s just an excuse to go driving. Kukui always teases him about all the gas he uses.

Was using.

Would he ever go back to driving again? Would he have to do it sitting on Kukui’s lap, like a little kid, for the rest of his life?

The arm around his waist shifts slightly to rub his side. “Hey…hey, it’s okay. Don’t tense up. I’ve got you. You’re doing great.” 

“Lycan-roooc!” Lycanroc howls as they pass the lagoon, sopping wet but tail wagging. Ash smiles at him, feeling his grip on the steering wheel loosen.

“There you go.” 

* * *

Olivia saunters into Luchador’s. She needed some nachos and a Modelo, stat. It had been a long day at the trial site, putting up with Lele’s bullshit. 

She sits down at the bar, and the barkeep recognizes her on site. “Kahuna, welcome! The usual?” 

“Yes, please,” she groans out. She wishes she were here with Burnet. It was always more fun to have someone to drink with, and Burnet would constantly steal her nachos. She didn’t think she’d miss that, but here she is. 

She’s worried about her, honestly. She and Hala both are. Olivia’s barely heard anything from her, and Kukui’s been acting shifty. The two Kahunas are just hoping that Ash’s…accident? Incident?…isn’t sparking something bad in their relationship. 

“Kapono, sit down, Jesus! Have some subtlety!” 

Olivia snaps her head around. Burnet!?

Her eyes lock with hers for a moment in the corner booth as she sits with…some _guy_ . Who the hell is _he?_

_Is this what it looks like?_

Oh, no. Oh, _hell_ no, her best friend _cannot_ be cheating on her husband, Olivia’s oldest friend. 

Olivia takes a long swing of her beer and slides off the barstool. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” 

“Olivia! Hi!” Burnet, blushing to hell and back, greets awkwardly.

“…I thought you weren’t going out tonight.” 

The guy just numbly stares at her. He’s kinda hot, Olivia can see why Burnet would like him.

“And who the fuck might _you_ be?” 

Burnet pales, her voice lowering. “Olivia, I swear to God, it isn’t what it looks like—“ 

Olivia lays on the sarcasm. “How long y’all been together?” 

“Olivia, no—“ 

“I bet Kukui doesn’t even know, does he?” 

The guy suddenly blurts out, “K-kahuna, I’m gay. There’s nothing between me and Burnet.” 

Olivia straightens. “Oh.” 

“For Christ’s sake…” Burnet murmurs. “I almost had a heart attack, Olly.” 

“Me too. Imagine what this looks like to me!” Olivia pouts, then turns to the guy. “But seriously. Who the fuck are you, and…buy me my next round, won’t you?” 

He looks to Burnet, then she elbows him. “Uh, sure. Um. I’m Kapono. I’m the Masked Royal’s PT, have been for years, Kukui and I go way back, then I ended up working with Ash—you know him, right?—and so Burnet and I are just mutual friends. I owed her a favor, so I offered to buy her dinner.” 

“…That’s acceptable.” Olivia flops down in the booth next to Burnet, hugging her gently. She was really relieved, wow. “But what happened to you being busy, ma’am? I’ve missed you!” 

Burnet sighs and leans on Olivia’s slightly-taller shoulder. “Kukui and I had a mild fight over lunch. I wanted to stay home with them this evening but I figured it’d be best for me to just keep my distance tonight.” 

Olivia pulls back and holds Burnet’s shoulders. “What’s going on between you two? Is everything okay?” 

The Kapono dude nods. “Yeah, tell me what happened over lunch. I thought you guys were going on a nice, romantic date.” 

“Well…y’know. The works. Just marriage shit,” Burnet mumbles as she eyes Olivia.

“Damn, that sucks.” Olivia shakes her head and finishes off her beer, then signals the bartender. Burnet had no drink, while the gay guy was only halfway through. “Hey, another two? On his tab.” She gestures to the dude, who’s eyes were bugging out of his head.

“Sure, Kahuna—“ 

Burnet waves her hands suddenly. “Just one.” 

Olivia snaps her head to her again. “What? Why?” 

Burnet pouts. “I can’t, Olivia, I’ve had so much to eat tonight, I’d explode with a beer.” She skirts her eyes to the side and folds her arms.

Olivia narrows her eyes. “That’s a lie.” 

“…Beer’s so full of calories, anyway, my ass is getting too fat,” Burnet lies, _again._

“Now I _know_ you don’t give a shit about that, we never do.” Olivia accepts the beer from the waiter and squeezes her lime into it. “What’s going on, huh?” 

“It’s just...I dunno, maybe it’s time for a lifestyle change!” Burnet smiles, saccharine sweet. 

“Bullshit.” 

“No, I swear!” 

“Bull. Shit.” 

The gay guy, who had apparently been stewing for quite a while over his tacos, slams down his beer. “Holy fuck, you guys, _stop_. She’s pregnant, alright?” 

The restaurant’s noise level wanes. 

Olivia picks her jaw up off the floor. “You’re fucking _what?_ ” 

“‘You’re fucking _whom,’_ is a better question,” Kapono adds. Olivia snorts.

Burnet glares at him. “There is no question of the father, Kapono, do _not_ try and start drama.” 

Olivia finally laughs out loud. “Oh my God. No wonder why your skin looks so great and you texted me about peplums. You’re _pregnant.”_

Burnet winces. “…Yeah. I am.” 

“…Why are we not happy?” Olivia questions. “…Does Kukui not want a kid yet? Is why you guys are fighting? Oh, Burnet, I’m so sorry—“

Kapono waves his hands. “No. Kukui doesn’t _know_. That’s why they’re fighting. Kukui thinks she’s hiding something from him.” 

“Oh. _Oh,_ ” Olivia murmurs. 

Burnet looks like she’s on the brink of tears.

“Honey…why haven’t you told him? I’m sure he’d be thrilled!” Olivia grasps her hand.

Burnet suddenly explodes, “I-I was going to! I was going to, three weeks ago, that night! That’s why I was trying to get you and Kukui and I to hang out together! I was gonna tell you guys then!” 

“…Oh, no, _Burnet_ …” Olivia feels a hand rise to her throat. “But, Ash…” 

“Yeah.” Burnet sniffs. “And now I dunno what I’m gonna do, I can never find the right way to tell them, I keep freezing up.” 

“…Well, I’m glad you told me. Jesus. I was about to get drunk with you.” Olivia shakes her head. “…You don’t mind if I still drink, right?” 

Burnet chuckles. “Um, no? Go for it.” 

“Nice.” Olivia takes a long swig. “So. Baby. How far along are you?” 

“Eight weeks.” 

Olivia sighs dreamily. She does love babies. “Boy or girl, do you think?” 

“Hm, I’m not sure. I feel like he’s a boy, but also…I dunno, I’d be okay with them however they turn out.” She turns. “Kap. When am I gonna know the gender?” 

“Between eighteen and twenty-two weeks,” Kapono rattles off. His left leg bounces—oh boy, he was a little buzzed. “With all the morning sickness you’re having, I wouldn’t be surprised if it were a girl. That’s what I’ve experienced, anyhow.” 

“A girl…” Burnet puts a hand on her belly. Olivia couldn’t really tell if she’s showing—that damn peplum. “The morning sickness is really bad. Like, I thought it was supposed to get better.” 

“It is.” Kapono furrows his brow. “There’s no reason for you to suffer with it if you don’t have to. Let me call in that Zofran for you. I can have it ready in a few days.” 

Burnet throws her hands up. “Fine, fine.” 

Olivia pulls her in close to her shoulder again. “…When you gonna tell Kukui?” 

“I dunno. Soon. I wanna tell him now…” Burnet whines. “But he’s kinda mad.” 

“He won’t be mad once you explain it to him, dumbass.” Olivia slaps her wrist gently. “That boy will be so excited, he’ll be running zigzags between the islands when he finds out. I can’t wait to tell him I knew before he did.” 

“Same.” Kapono holds up his beer glass to her, and they clink them together.

Olivia smirks. “I kinda like you, loudmouth gay. Tell me about yourself.” 

“Nothin’ to tell. I work at the hospital, been here my whole life.” He shrugs, twisting the bottle in his hands. 

“Oh, I know there’s more to you than that.” Olivia twirls a piece of her hair. “Is that Ducati outside yours?”

“…Yeah.” 

“I thought so.” She clicks her tongue. “How’d you end up PT to Masked Royal? That’s kindof a high-end job for a kid who looks no more than, I dunno, twenty-five.” 

“He graduated high school at fourteen, valedictorian. He’s got a Master’s in PT and his RN,” Burnet explains. 

Olivia smiles in surprise. “Okay, nerd!” 

He shrugs. “I also have the side hustle of selling old Royal merch on Ebay. You wouldn’t believe how much his signed shit sells for, it’s ridiculous.” 

“…I bought a signed poster of his off Ebay a few years ago, gave it to Burnet for Christmas,” Olivia hums. “Was that you? It went for, like, $350 and permanently dented my wallet.” 

He smiles smugly and takes another swig of beer. “How else could I afford the bike? And my belt collection?” He gestures to the Gucci belt on his hips. 

“You greedy bastard,” Burnet laughs. 

“It’s a living.” 

Olivia raises her brow. “Speaking of greedy bastards…” She gestures to the TV in the corner.

“Ew. Viren.” Burnet gags dramatically.

They all laugh, but it dies down when the headline underneath him changes.

_Viren Comments On Champion Ketchum In Press Conference_

Olivia yells out to the bartender, “Hey! Turn it up!” 

He flicks it on, and later, Olivia regrets asking.

_“…he’s a dirty Kanty who didn’t deserve the title. The Pokemon League was supposed to be by Alolans, for Alolans, and Kukui made a big mistake in letting an outsider win. And that’s why when I sort all this legal nonsense out, I’m buying the League, and the first to go will be Kukui and that — kid of his.”_

Olivia throws her beer bottle at the TV as Burnet starts to cry. They aren’t stupid—the bleeped-out word was _bastard._

* * *

Kukui and Ash are finishing off their hot dogs—extra ketchup for Pikachu—in the golf course’s clubhouse when they see it. The TV in the corner was on mute as a few older men, presumably part of the Unovan population on Alola who retire here for golf, among other things, flip through the channels. 

Kukui isn’t really paying attention. Ash is telling a long-winded, convoluted story about his capture of the Jet Badge in Unova, and it held all of Kukui’s attention. Ash isn’t someone quick to reveal much about his past, so Kukui soaks in whatever stories he can get. 

“…and then Unfezant evolved, right there! I was so proud, and then—“ 

“Chuuu...” Pikachu snarls, cutting him off. 

Ash breaks out of his story immediately. “What’s wrong?” 

Pikachu doesn’t say anything; he just keeps sparking towards the TV.

Then Kukui sees the headline. 

_Viren Comments On Champion Ketchum In Press Conference_

The old men eye their table. 

“Could you turn the volume up, sir?” Ash requests.

Kukui tries to double back. Viren must have gotten the declination letter from the League. “Ash, whatever he has to say, it’s worthless—“ 

Ash stands his ground. “I wanna hear.” 

The old man with the remote cocks his brow, then shrugs and turns the volume up. 

_“…he’s a dirty Kanty who didn’t deserve the title. The Pokemon League was supposed to be by Alolans, for Alolans, and Kukui made a big mistake in letting an outsider win. And that’s why when I sort all this legal nonsense out, I’m buying the League, and the first to go will be Kukui and that — kid of his.”_

There’s silence in the clubhouse.

Kukui sees red.

“Did…did he just call me a bastard kanty?” Ash murmurs quietly. 

Kukui opens his mouth to try and respond, but his phone starts buzzing urgently. He checks to see who it is— _shit_ , he can’t just decline. 

He picks it up, giving an apologetic look to Ash. “Kahuna Nanu?” 

_“Professor. Exit the clubhouse. There’s a squad car waiting for you.”_

Kukui doesn’t hesitate—he stands up from his chair and lifts Ash into his arms without thought, slapping a $20 on the table and leaving. “Is this about Viren, by any chance?” 

_“So, you’ve seen it.”_

“Yeah, I saw it, Nanu, what the hell?” Kukui seethes. Ash tenses in his arms and Kukui forces himself to calm down momentarily. 

Two officers step out of the cop car in the clubhouse driveway, the first one nodding to them and opening up the door. “Champion, Professor.” 

_“I'll explain everything. Right now, just get in the car.”_

Kukui grunts and complies, helping Ash in quickly and coming in right behind him.

“…What’s going on?” Ash asks towards the front seat. “Were you guys…following us?” 

“There are officers assigned to you at all times, Champion. Right now, we’ve been instructed to take you to your home,” The second police officer explains flatly.

Kukui’s brain is running a mile a minute, but he manages to think about his wife. “Nanu, what about Burnet?” He asks urgently.

_“Some of my boys have already gotten her. She’s fine.”_

Kukui lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Okay.” 

_“Professor, I’m sorry that you had to see that. I can’t revoke his press privileges yet.”_

“Don’t apologize to me.” Kukui shakes his head and wraps his arm a little tighter around Ash. “Anyway. We’ll see you.” 

_“See you shortly.”_

Kukui tries not to think too hard for the rest of the ride. In fact, he tries not to think at all. He just keeps his arm around Ash as he holds onto what little positivity he had left.

But that changes as soon as they pull into the gravel driveway of their house. Kukui hops out before the car even comes to a complete stop, helping Ash out, then running to where his wife was waiting on the front porch. She looks like she had been crying.

“Bur—” 

“Kukui! Oh, thank God, there you are!” She practically leaps into him, holding around him tight and kissing his neck.

Kukui kisses her back. “I’m here. It’s okay.” 

She breaks the hug for a moment, only to do the same with Ash. “Sweetheart…” 

“‘M fine, Burnet-hakase…” Ash barely chokes out from being squished in Burnet’s hug. “...just confused.” 

Burnet lets go of him after thoroughly checking him up and down, then frets as she hurries them inside.

A small camp of some sort had been set up in their living room—papers and laptops are strewn about the coffee table and at least five officers are on computers and phones, murmuring to each other while Nanu watches over them and the Interpol agent, Looker, yells into his phone in perfect Kalosais. 

The only calm-looking one in the whole room was the deputy...whose arm was in a sling? She pauses one-handed typing on her laptop as they walk in. “Champion. Professors.” 

The room comes to a standstill.

Nanu scratches the back of his head. “I’ve got a lot to explain, huh? Take a seat.” 

Kukui does as he’s told, not even thinking about how this is technically his own living room. Burnet follows suit, and Ash, sandwiched between them, sinks down after staring down everyone in the room for a few seconds. 

Ash eyes him, almost in a wary manner. “What’s going on, Kahuna?” 

Nanu takes a deep breath, waiting for Looker to stop yelling into his phone.

“...Oui.” Looker’s eyes widen as he realizes he’s the center of attention. “C'est bien. Merci beaucoup _,_ Monsieur Directeur.” He hangs up hard. “Sorry. Got the Blue Notice.” 

The deputy sighs in relief, “Yes!” 

Ash looks to Kukui, cocking his head in confusion. Kukui shrugs—he has no idea what’s going on.

“Well, now that it’s settled, I can finally say it,” Nanu huffs. “The International Police, in conjunction with the Ula’Ula Police department, have obtained probable cause to arrest Viren Bauer for tax fraud, three counts of racketeering, and attempted murder.” 

Those words sink around the room for a few minutes, permeating the air and trickling down Kukui’s spine. “You don’t mean…” 

Nanu nods. “Viren tried to kill Ash.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as the great and wise lil mayo once said, begone thot. 
> 
> (he meant viren obviously)


	16. tumbling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you aedee for your beta. you're invaluable. and thank you sapph! we planned these scenes out MONTHS ago, and they're finally here! i hope you guys like them as much as we've liked playing with them!
> 
> interestingly enough, this is one of my shorter chapters...but i think it packs a bang, ha ha, heh, ahem.

“Viren tried to kill Ash.” 

There’s silence for several seconds until Ash, the poor kid, can’t take it anymore. He murmurs quietly, “It’s okay, though, I’m still alive.” 

Zhou nearly chokes on her coffee as Nanu laughs without humor, massaging his temples.

“Um.” Burnet’s brow furrows deeply as she tries to form some sort of thought. She seems to abandon it, instead becoming occupied on a spot on the carpet. 

Kukui, who had been quietly boiling over in his seat, says, “I-is this about the League? ‘Cos if he’ll go away if I make some sort of compromise with him—“ He stops mid sentence, looking off into the ceiling. “I’ll give him the whole damn League if that’s what he wants.” 

“Kukui, no. Viren is a psychopath criminal.” Nanu rolls his eyes. “Swear to God, you haven’t changed one bit. This isn’t Guzma. Not everything has to be your fault.” 

Zhou doesn’t know the context for that comment, but it shuts Kukui up quickly. He opens his mouth, then closes it and settles for holding Ash a little closer. 

“…Why?” Ash murmurs. “I mean, I don’t like Viren, and I wasn’t too nice to him the last time I saw him, but I don’t think I’ve done enough to make him want to kill me.” 

“In a way, Professor Kukui is correct.” Looker bites his lip, leaving it blanched. “From what we have obtained, Viren’s intention was to obtain the League. Not to say it was somehow your fault, Professor,” he reassures. 

Kukui cocks his head, laughing in a pained squeal, “Killing Ash, though? That was his plan to get the League?” He pauses. “And, I mean, Viren wasn’t driving the car…did he hire the guy? And did you say  _ racketeering _ ?” 

Nanu shakes his head. “How much do you know about organized crime in Alola?” 

Kukui frowns. “…I mean, Team Skull—” 

“Hardly constitutes crime,” Nanu finishes for him. “Viren had organized a mafia of sorts about twenty years ago. We thought it was mostly restricted to financial crime, and he was a Unovan citizen anyway, so we couldn’t do much but leave it to the FBI, but recently…we came across evidence that exposed his ring had moved to, ah, more violent crimes here on Alolan soil.” 

“W-wait. Viren runs a  _ mob _ ?” Burnet stutters. 

Nanu nods. “Yes, essentially."

Burnet’s eyebrow cocks high, then she scoffs and buries her face in her hands. “A mobster. A mobster tried to kill Ash so he could get my husband’s League.” 

The Interpol agent nods, then shrugs. “Well, actually, there’s some evidence to suggest he was originally trying to kill Professor Kukui only and that Satoshi was only a bonus—“ 

The deputy interrupts him, glaring daggers. “ _ Looker _ .” 

He shrinks. “…but that’s just semantics. It doesn’t matter now.” 

“Ah—um. Where is Viren r-right now?” Kukui stutters out, lips pulled tight in tension.

The deputy takes this question. “Right now, under protection of his legal team and out of our reach, which is why he was able to make a fool of himself at that press conference mere minutes ago. The issuance of the Blue Notice only allows us to gather evidence, which we have, we just…” 

Looker shakes his head. “The evidence wasn’t viable because it was gathered without a warrant. The Blue Notice now serves as a warrant.” 

Burnet throws up her hands in agitation. “So are you gonna arrest him and the rest of the ring, or…” 

“Interpol needs to review the evidence we have and they’ll issue a Red Notice. I’ve already spoken with the Director about it and they’ve guaranteed it, it’s just a matter of proceedings.” 

Nanu waves his hand. “Looker means that yes, they'll be arrested, but by the authority of Interpol, and then they’ll all be in our hands due to extradition laws. But God knows how long that will take to process. Viren has friends in the Unovan federal government, and knowing them, it might be hard to get his extradition in a timely fashion.” 

Burnet holds up a hand, biting her lip and looking scarier than any Dark type Nanu had ever seen. “So you’re saying he’s just running free right now?” 

“He’s under house arrest.” Nanu leans back on his heels. “I’m sorry. I’ve broken enough rules in this investigation. I can’t do anything more than that.” 

“…But that means he can’t do anything to hurt us right now?” Ash asks, doe-eyed and innocent. “Right?” 

The deputy takes her free hand and pats it on Ash’s knee. “In perfect circumstances, yes, but the reality of the situation is that the rest of his mafia have no charges right now.” 

“Bottom line, we need to buckle down until the Red Notice is issued.” Nanu sighs. “No member of this house is leaving without at least two security details with them. And, the general public doesn’t know about any of this yet. It might be advisable for you all to hunker down here for a bit.” 

Ash, who had seemed relatively unbothered for the majority of the conversation, suddenly seems shocked. “You mean not leave the house?” 

“Preferably, yes.” It hurts for Nanu to say that and see Ash’s whole face fall. “I’m sorry. It’s for your own safety.” 

“I’m gonna miss so much school…” he murmurs quietly.

Nanu lets a smirk crawl onto his lips. “You live with your teacher, kid. You should check on those priorities.” 

Ash, enlightened, admits, “Oh, you’re right.” 

“…How long are we talking about?” Kukui murmurs. “Burnet and I have jobs.” 

Nanu sighs. “A week, maybe two.” 

Burnet and Kukui wince, neither of them thrilled at the prospect of being away from their overworked lifestyle.

Nanu holds himself back from rolling his eyes. “Not that you asked for my advice, but as Kahuna, take a damn sabbatical while you can. Both of you. You look like you haven’t slept in days.” 

“Kahuna Nanu is right.” Ash, already bouncing back from the disappointment of his own house arrest, proclaims, “If we’re stuck here, I’m gonna do special training with my pokemon the whole time! And it’s gonna be great!” 

Everyone just sort of looks at him, perplexed as ever. But Ash grins harder, even more determined to make this situation productive. 

“God damn, kid, always making lemonade, ain’t you?” Nanu chuckles, rubbing the back of his head and taking a long blink.

Ash nods and accepts the affection showered onto him by the two Professors. It would have been a sweet moment, but both of them look up to face Nanu at the same time, and suddenly…he feels fear, cold and suffocating, clawing through his veins. Fear like…like that mission. The Guzzlord. The Fallen agent. His career-defining failure.

He cannot afford to fuck this one up like last time.

* * *

“Ichika.” 

She turns quietly. “Sakaki-sama?” 

He steps into her spartan room, leaning against the end of her cot. “I need you for a project, my dear.” 

She straightens her uniform, even though she didn’t need it. She’s out of the service, after all, but some familiarity at this time was nice. “Of what sort, sir?” 

He grins, perfectly white teeth glinting in the fluorescent light of the bunker. “It’s time you crawled out of your hole, Agent. We’re off to Alola, to pay respects to your fallen husband.” 

She stiffens.

Phillip.  _ Phillip _ , and his undying allegiance to Viren. Allegiance that killed him. Viren screwed him over, and Ichika knew it long before he finally reached the end of the road, literally and figuratively. 

He didn’t even want to do it. He didn’t want to kill the…the mere child. 

Phillip drank hard that night. Ichika figured that was because he didn’t want to do it.

And seeing the evidence from the crash later…it was unmistakable that he swerved at the very last moment, only to clip the little Jeep and send it rolling. She could imagine it in her mind’s eye—Phillip barreling across the center line, then jerking the wheel away to try and save the child. But he had to have known that it would cost him his life. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, for Christ’s sake.

It was almost like he wanted to die. That he knew if he failed his mission intentionally, he’d be dead anyway, so he might as well leave that seatbelt off and loosen that suspension and flip that truck.

Viren killed him, ultimately. It wasn’t suicide if someone ordered him to do it.

But Phillip’s dead, and Sakaki-sama is taking Viren down brick-by-brick until there’s nothing left of the man who sentenced her husband to suicide. 

She smiles, licking her lips and ready to play Sakaki’s game. “Yes, sir. I look forward to it.” 

* * *

“…Honey?” 

“H-hi.” Burnet shoots up from being hunched over the toilet bowl…then immediately regrets it and retches again. 

Kukui blanches, rushing to her side. “Oh, hell, Burnet, are you okay?” 

“Fine.” She leans into Kukui’s rock-solid chest. “‘M fine.” 

He rubs her shoulders. “Hangover, huh? You and Kap must have had a little bit of fun last night…before everything went to shit.” 

Wait, that’s a perfect excuse. “Yeah, you know me, lightweight,” she bullshits. She pulls away her hand from laying gently on her swollen abdomen. “Sorry. You probably have to piss or something.” 

“No. I was just looking for you.” Kukui kisses her curls gently. “You weren’t in bed.” 

“…You wake up when I’m not in bed with you?” 

He folds his hands over her shoulders and leans his chin on her. “Yeah.” 

_ Don’tcrydon’tcryJesusChristdon’tcry _ . “That’s…really sweet.” 

“It’s because I love you.” 

God damn it. 

She sniffs, grasping his hands on her shoulders. “Kukui, I…I gotta tell you something.” 

His breaths, rhythmically puffing on her neck for the past few minutes, stop. 

“I, ah. Um, I’m—“ 

A sharp knock on the door interrupts her. “Are you guys okay?” 

Kukui sighs, raising his voice slightly. “Ash, go back to bed. It’s four in the morning.” 

“But are you okay, though?” 

Burnet pulls herself together, ignoring the thunder of her own heartbeat in her ears. “We’re fine, sweetheart, please go back to bed.” 

“Your aura’s all sad. I can’t sleep when your aura’s sad.” 

“Alright, Ash,” Kukui sighs, chuckling breathily, and helps Burnet to standing. Burnet’s nausea disappears as she’s got her own kiddo—the one that isn’t a blueberry fetus—to worry about. 

Ash stands outside the doorway, with one arm propping him up on the frame and his crutches nowhere in sight. His t-shirt is wrinkled and his hair’s a mess. Kukui scoops him up without a word.

Burnet sighs. “Sweetie. How’d you even get up the stairs?” 

He shrugs. “I hopped.” 

“You lolo,” Kukui murmurs as he cradles him closer, fretting over him as he lays him down in his bed. 

Ash frowns. “…I miss the couch.” 

Kukui laughs. Only Ash would prefer couch-surfing over a real bed. “How would you get up to the loft?” 

“I dunno.” He smiles shyly. “I’d hop.” 

Burnet laughs. “Of course you would.” 

“Lolo, lolo, lolo,” Kukui laughs along with them, fiddling with the covers until they’re completely straight and flat over Ash. 

Burnet brushes his bangs off of his face. His forehead was a little warm, presumably from hopping around everywhere. “You need anything?” 

He shakes his head.

“Then goodnight, sweetie.” She kisses his forehead briefly.

Kukui rubs his shoulder. “Goodnight, keiki.” 

As they start to walk out the door, Ash murmurs, “W-wait.” 

They both turn around.

He doesn’t make eye contact with them. “Um. You wanna stay? For a little bit?” 

There’s no question. Burnet and Kukui both come back to the bed, sinking down next to him and taking turns finger-combing his hair or tucking the blankets in around him. 

It takes a while until Ash says anything, but when he does, it comes out nervous. “I feel like I should be more scared about this whole thing.” 

Kukui hums, “Well, I mean, Kahuna Nanu made it seem like we’re all safe now. There are cops outside. No one could possibly get to us.” 

Burnet frowns, trying to ascertain what Ash was actually feeling. “Do you feel safe, Ash?” 

Ash is silent for a few beats. Pikachu’s cheeks spark from underneath the blanket, casting an eerie glow on the room.

“I feel safe when you’re here,” Ash finally murmurs. “‘M not sure why…I just do.” 

Nothing needs to be said. They know each other too well at this point. 

The past three weeks—they’ve been through so much in the past three weeks. Burnet felt like she only barely knew Ash before. Now he’s practically her son. And Kukui, too; little things about him as he quietly cares for everyone and everything around him she had learned. Burnet wonders what the boys thought of her now. Has she changed? Maybe. Yes.

Burnet lets herself contemplate this as she holds Ash close, and as Kukui holds them all close. Ash is already asleep, all slow breaths and limp neck and still fingers grazing Burnet’s shoulders. Kukui is a little more tense behind her, but he usually is anyway; gauging his loosening grip on all of them, he’s probably close to sleep, too. 

This came so naturally. Why? 

It’s so damn unfortunate that it took Ash’s near-death—no, his  _ actual _ death—for all of them to reach this point of mutual comfort. 

Is this a net gain? 

Burnet thinks so. 

She runs her fingers quietly over Ash’s back, only grazing his t-shirt with rhythmic taps and caresses. Just touching him fills her with an unspeakable calmness and clarity. Ash had explained that that was his aura transferring over to her. 

But she has a feeling that the peace she experiences when she’s holding her first child isn’t just from his aura. It originates from within her own heart. 

* * *

_ Hey guys, Ash and I are taking a few days off. Please be nice to your substitute teacher. Lana, no practical jokes, please. Kiawe, keep a handle on Marowak. Sophocles, pay attention in class, even if you feel like you know the material. Mallow, be sure you finish that research paper by Friday. Lillie, study breaks are important, please take them.  _

_ Call me if you need anything. _

_ —Prof. Kukui _

* * *

Kiawe throws down his sandwich. “If no one else's gonna say it, I will!” 

The friends Kiawe has known for most of his life look at him in states of confusion, maybe vague exasperation from Lana. 

“I miss Ash.” He looks down to his desk and pulls apart his sandwich methodically. “There, I said it. Now we can stop acting like nothing’s wrong.” 

Lana huffs, “‘Taking a few days off’ my  _ ass _ . Kukui doesn’t do that. Ash doesn’t do that.” 

Sophocles frowns, cheek smushed in his palm. “To be fair, I mean, they both probably deserve some days off.” 

“But they don’t do that, Lana’s right. I haven’t ever seen Ash take a day off except for when he was doing his Grand Trials or when he was in the hospital,  _ dying _ . And this is the first time we’ve ever had a sub in Professor Kukui’s class,” Mallow points out. That was technically true; they didn’t really have school in that hell-week of Ash’s soul hanging onto the mortal world by a thread, so Kukui really has never had a day off. “It’s weird. What are they doing?” 

“Professor Burnet hasn’t been at Aether either,” Lillie adds. “I just hope they’re okay.” 

Sophocles shakes his head. “Weird.” 

The conversation ends there. There wasn’t anything more to say—the note Kukui had left them was vague, probably for a reason, and there wasn’t much they could speculate on. The more concerning element was that their time away from Ash and the Professor was kind of indefinite. The note didn’t give an actual time frame for their absence, just ‘a few days.’ That could be literally anything.

It had been three days already. Kiawe is itching for a battle with his main rival.

…He also just misses his main rival.

What could he do? Nothing. So he might as well stop complaining to himself, huh?

But his denial doesn’t stop the fact that he misses Ash. 

* * *

“Do you know how to play Pokemon Shiritori?” 

Kukui looks up from his laptop. “Um, vaguely. I have to know the Kantonian names for the species for it to work, right?” 

Ash nods, then smushes his face down into the couch. “That’s maybe a little hard. Don’t worry about it then—“ 

“No, no.” Kukui sets his laptop aside—the League emails can wait. Ash is bored out of his mind, clearly. “Professor Oak made me memorize most of the Kantonian species while I did my Gym Challenge. I can try.” 

“Okay!” Ash brightens. “I’ll start! Pikachu!” 

“U…um, Utsobotto? Victreebell?” 

Ash grins. “To…Toranseru.” 

“Ru…right? Is that the kana?” 

He nods. “Yup. Hm, let me think of a Kantonian one…” 

Kukui scratches his goatee. “Wait, does Lugia—Rugia count or is that cheating since it’s kinda the same in Galarian?” 

“No, that works! Then…Abo.” 

Kukui ponders it. “Onisuzume?” 

Pikachu grumbles from the corner, making Ash laugh. “Pikachu, you can’t hold a grudge against all Spearow.” 

“Pi,” he replies, clearly still holding a grudge. 

“Okay, whatever you say.” He smiles and looks back to Kukui. “Metamon!” 

Kukui looks at Ash for a few seconds, holding back a giggle. Ash just disqualified himself. No Kantonian words start with the N kana. 

“Pika…” Pikachu shakes his head.

“Oh, no!” Ash frowns, then laughs. “Some Kantonian I am, huh?” 

Kukui waves his hand and fluffs Ash’s hair. “Hey, c’mon, it’s an easy mistake. I was thinking the exact same thing.” 

“No, you weren’t, but thanks anyway,” Ash grumbles and brushes Kukui’s hand off his head. He’s a little bit irritable; they all are, honestly. It’s day four of their house arrest. 

Kukui shrugs and pulls his hand back, but sets it on the couch cushion next to Ash in an attempt to provide some sort of…support. “How about a rematch?” 

“No.” Ash frowns and flops back down on the cushions.

Pikachu creeps up to him and licks his cheek. “Pikapi?” 

Kukui pushes his laptop all the way off the couch and sets it on the ground. He mirrors Ash’s position, laying prone with his chin resting on the couch cushions and looking straight into Ash’s eyes. “What’s on your mind?” He probes.

Ash shakes his head. “Nothing.” 

Kukui shakes his head. “C’mon. It’s not nothing.” 

Ash winces. “I was just…I dunno, thinking about what Viren said.” 

Kukui groans, “Please don’t spend a single neuron thinking about that.” 

“I don’t mind the ‘bastard’ comment, ‘cos it’s kinda true. I don’t know who my father is, he’s right,” Ash laughs without humor. “But the stuff about being a kanty…Alola doesn’t like having a champion who isn’t Alolan.” 

Kukui bristles. “That is absolutely and completely false, I can assure you.” 

Ash shakes his head. “No, it’s not. I got a bunch of DMs on the official Champ account the night he said that…” He murmurs quietly, “It wasn’t nice stuff. Stuff about me ‘swimming home’ or how I shouldn’t have been allowed to enter in the first place.” 

Kukui feels his blood boil for Ash, but restrains his anger and keeps his cool. “Ash, none of those comments have merit. You won the League fair and square, and no racism can take that away from you.” He frowns deeper. “Plus, Viren is one to talk. He’s Unovan. And he’s also a psychopath.” 

Ash laughs. It wasn’t funny, but it also…kinda was, in the way that humor is their only way of coping. “But…y’know. Hurts, just a little bit. Nobody’s ever said anything to me about that until now.” 

“And you don’t deserve it.” Kukui considers his next move, then decides,  _ screw it _ , and sits up on his knees. “Come here.” He puts his arms out. “I haven’t been able to hug you nicely, but now that your abdomen’s healing up, you deserve a full hug.” 

Ash looks at him for a second, then launches himself at Kukui.

“Oof,” Kukui winces. “I can tell you’re feeling better, you can tackle-hug again.” 

Ash giggles, hugging around Kukui’s waist harder. 

They stay tight like that for a while, only loosening when the sound of Burnet padding up the stairs graces their ears. 

Kukui pulls back to be able to see his wife. “Hi, honey. You feeling any better?” He—well, he would say he  _ forced _ her, but she was more than willing— _ encouraged _ her to take a nap after she nearly fell asleep making breakfast, _ standing _ . 

“Yeah, the nap definitely did me good.” She flops down next to them, plopping a kiss on both of their foreheads. She looks at them curiously for a moment. “Everything okay?” 

“Yeah, fine,” Ash answers. 

“…If you say so.” She shrugs. “Anyway. Um, I think we need more groceries.” 

Kukui says, “I think we’re probably okay for a few days.” Meaning, he doesn’t want Burnet leaving the house. 

“I wanted to make some therapeutic house-arrest lasagna, though, and we don’t have any tomatoes or sausage,” Burnet pouts. 

“I can do it,” Kukui offers. What if something goes wrong? Kukui’s the prize-fighter, he’d probably have a better chance of fending off any of Viren’s mobsters if they were to greet him at the grocery store. 

She shakes her head. “No, I’m gonna do it. I’m the least-targeted of this family. Tomorrow, you can go grocery shopping if you want to get out of the house.” She punctuates her proposal with a kiss on Kukui’s lips, preventing him from replying as she grabs her keys. “Bye. Be back soon.” 

…

“Professor Burnet, where are you going?” One of the officers stationed outside their house asks as soon as she walks out the door.

“I need to run some errands.” She sighs. “Do I need a police escort or something? I’m just going to Target.” 

“W-well, let me ask Chief Nanu.” The officer ducks into his squad car and talks into his radio for a few seconds, then emerges. “Sorry, ma’am, but I’m required to accompany you.” 

“No, you’re not.” The second cop car door opens up—the Deputy. “I’ll do it.” 

“…Deputy Zhou, your shoulder—“ 

“My other shoulder functions just fine if I need to use it. Stay here, officer.” She whips her ponytail around and smiles to Burnet. “I’ll follow you.” 

“…Sure.” Burnet smiles, tight-lipped, and slips into her Camry. 

_ Shit, shit, shit. _

She wasn’t lying about the errands, per se. But she wasn’t going to Target, at least not until later—that was only a front. She was going to the hospital to pick up the morning sickness meds Kap had gotten her.

Burnet shakes her head and backs out the driveway, pulling out her phone. “Hey, Kap?”

“ _ Hey, tita. Your meds are ready right now, are you on the way?”  _

“Yeah.” She checks her rear-view. “I have a…friend coming along with me, though.” 

He seems to get excited. “ _ Olivia?”  _

“I wish. It’s a cop.” 

“ _ Oh. Why?”  _

“Long, long story. Just…be discreet, okay?” 

“ _ Discreet is my middle name.”  _

“Sure, we’ll go with that.” 

* * *

Professor Burnet certainly drives in a reckless manner, Zhou thinks absentmindedly. She’s going forty-seven in a thirty; Zhou could ticket her for that. Ha. 

She’s got something to hide. They passed Target ten minutes ago. 

Before Zhou can mull on that any longer, her police radio beeps. “Zhou here.” 

The Chief answers gruffly, “ _ Rachel, I’m gonna bring Kukui and Ash in for witness statements. Can you drive them to the station?”  _

“No, sir, I’m accompanying Professor Burnet on errands.” 

“ _ Wasn’t Rosenthal supposed to do that?”  _

“I…may have usurped him.” 

“ _ …Fine, whatever, I know you wanted to get out. I’ll pick them up myself. Eyes open, you hear?”  _

“Eyes open, roger that.” 

The radio clicks off. She feels no regret—she’s on a more interesting mission anyway. 

* * *

Ugh. 

Nanu hates doing this shit. Driving his cop car gets him lots of attention, which he loathes. 

He pulls the Charger into Kukui’s gravel driveway, blinks the brights into their windows to indicate his arrival, and lights a cigarette. Tonight will be…less than fun. He has no desire to get a statement from them—what could they say?—but he had to do it for regulation.

He opens the glovebox, eyeing the whiskey flask smushed inside.

“Hi, Kahuna Nanu!” 

Oops. Better not. He slides out, bones creaking, and opens the back door. “Hey, kid, in you go.” 

“Thanks for the lift, Kahuna.” Kukui tips his hat at him. 

“No problem,” he grumbles, starting the engine up as they situate themselves in the back. Ash is struggling with trying to find a place to put his crutches. 

“Put ‘em up here, kid.” Nanu holds out his hand and accepts the crutches, sticking them in the front seat.

“Thank you!” Nanu can hear the sunshine in his voice, and it annoys him slightly.

“You’re welcome,” he grunts, pulling out of the driveway and towards the Hau’oli Precinct, which was only a few miles away. The case had been moved over to the Alolan federal government now, so he couldn’t take them to Ula’Ula’s station. “Tonight shouldn’t be all that difficult. I just need to get your story officially,” he spins a partial lie. 

“Okay!” The sunshine voice replies, upbeat as ever. 

He tries not to huff too loudly. 

Thankfully, Nanu doesn’t have to make much small talk. Kukui and Ash are having their own conversation—about pokemon battling, of course—and the kid’s little mouse is filling in the silence with squeaks. 

It was cute. It lasted for about thirty seconds.

Then it all goes to shit.

* * *

“Look at you, Burnet!” Kap exclaims upon her stepping out of the car.

“What?” She murmurs, eyeing the cop car across the way. It’s about twenty yards away in park, but still…she didn’t want anyone watching her regarding her pregnancy. 

He smiles gently. “You’re showing a little.” 

Burnet blanches and instinctively covers her belly with her arms…her belly that no longer fits into her tiny jean shorts. “I am!?” 

“That’s not a bad thing!” Kapono backtracks. “You’re positively glowing, Burnet.” 

“I—well, thanks, I guess.” She sighs. “Just get me the meds, I need to go to Target after this.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” Kapono hooks his arm in hers like that afternoon with the ultrasound. “Now, you don’t have to tell me what’s up with the cop, but you do have to tell me why you look like you haven’t gotten decent sleep since I saw you last. Is this about Viren?” 

Burnet eyes him warily. “None of your business, buckaroo. And, in fact, I took a six hour nap today.” 

“Six?” He raises a brow. “Christ. Well, that’s good, I suppose. As long as you aren’t working too hard. Pregnancy lethargy is real.” 

“Trust me, I know.” 

* * *

Zhou observes as Kap—her own PT—touches Burnet’s belly.

She laughs and continues talking with him, accepting his arm and walking into the hospital building.

What is this about? 

Zhou gets out of her car and follows them in.

* * *

Nanu slams on the brakes, coming to a stop before he hits the person standing in the road. 

“Woah, is that a person in the road?” Ash murmurs.

Nanu opens his mouth to reply, then closes it when the person walks forward.

The lights shine in his face.

_ Viren _ .

Nanu’s brain moves a mile a minute. His house arrest anklet is gone. How’d he manage that!? Why hadn’t he been notified!? What the hell is he doing here, coming up to a cop!?

…Is that a gun?

“Get DOWN!” Nanu manages to yell before bullets start striking the car. The glass is bulletproof, but there are still spiderweb cracks where the bullets bounce off. 

He hears the brief sucking sound of a pokeball recalling, along with the shriek of the kid’s Pikachu.

Nanu considers his options for about three milliseconds, then presses the SOS on his radio and turns on the patrol car speakers. “PUT YOUR WEAPON DOWN AND HANDS UP!” 

Viren pauses in shooting the car, laughing. Laughing. “Come out! Come out, Champion! I made it all the way out here for you! Make it worth my while!” 

“Do not get out of this goddamn car!” Nanu shoots to the backseat, but it doesn't matter; Kukui has him locked in his arms, both of them frozen with fear.

* * *

“ _ All stations, all stations, SOS. Position: two one decimal three zero six nine north, one five seven decimal eight five eight three west. All stations, all stations, SOS…”  _

Zhou’s radio keeps blaring the computer-generated tone.

Well, guess she isn’t following Burnet into the hospital, huh? 

She turns back to her car, putting the coordinates in.

**…No** .

* * *

Nanu jumps out of his side, gun raised. “Put your weapon down, Viren!” 

Viren looks to him for a moment, eyes wide and crazed, but his gun remains pointed at the handle to the backseat. “Come out, Champion!” He repeats. 

Nanu doesn’t think. He aims and fires, nailing Viren’s left forearm. Blood spills onto the blacktop. 

His arm drops with a scream, but Viren just passes the gun over to his other hand. He begins shooting at the handle, prying the door open before Nanu can act again.

In the blink of an eye, Viren yanks Ash out of the car. Ash yelps, unable to hold himself up with his nonfunctioning left leg, but goes quiet when Viren places the barrel of the gun to his temple. 

Kukui jumps out of the car. “Let him go! Let him go, Viren! You can have the League, just let him go!” 

God  _ damn _ it! Nanu cannot have Kukui out here—this will not end well. There are too many variables for Nanu to control. 

He’s already not a good shot. He can barely get aim on Viren—he’s essentially using Ash as a human shield, and Kukui blocks both of them entirely. There’s no clear line of fire from his position.

He runs around the car and holds Kukui back with his left arm while keeping his gun trained on Viren.

“Let him go. I can have your sentence reduced if you cooperate, Viren,” Nanu explains as coolly as he can. “Put down your weapon.” 

“I WON’T! Not when I’ve COME THIS FAR!” Viren roars. “I’ve done SO MUCH, only to have it  _ fail _ . It ends  _ HERE! _ ” 

Blood from Viren’s forearm smears on Ash’s white t-shirt.

Nanu creeps up a little further, pushing Kukui back. “I will not hesitate to kill you, Viren. Put down your weapon. Let Ash go.” 

“I would  _ gladly _ die to see the League out of Kukui’s grip!” Viren snarls, almost foaming at the mouth. “This is where you  _ end _ , Ketchum, and  _ where I begin _ .” 

Viren pushes the barrel of the gun farther into Ash’s temple, visibly indenting his skin. Ash doesn’t move a muscle, but his chest heaves for breath.

Nanu sucks a deep breath in and prepares to fire, ascertaining a shaky aim.

But he’s too late. 

A shot rings out. Kukui gasps next to him.

Ash falls to the ground. 

Viren lands face-first onto the pavement right next to him. Blood pools around his head, running little rivulets down the blacktop and staining Ash’s clothes more.

There’s a bullet-shaped hole in the back of Viren’s skull—and Nanu never fired his gun. Ash’s eyes are locked straight on it.

A figure steps out, his smoking gun lowering. “Hello, Satoshi. What a  _ pleasure _ it is to see you again.” 

Nanu would recognize that purr anywhere.

_ Giovanni _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (clasps hands together) well folks
> 
> (stay well and happy. love you very much.)


	17. revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ah yes, chaotic resolutions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok first of all, black lives matter. black lives have always fucking mattered and it's a damn shame that the system was built this way to function against its citizens. no justice, no peace. i stand with the movement. 
> 
> second of all thank you aedee for the beta and sapph for being a constant fountain of knowledge and creativity, love you both

Nanu glares at him for several seconds, then steadies his voice enough to ask, “Giovanni, what are you _doing_ here?” 

Giovanni’s lips pull back into a smile. “Helping you.” 

He signals with two fingers and five TR agents, clad in black, step out from the shadows. Two stand guard in front of Giovanni while the others dispose of Viren’s body in complete silence—it’s a well-rehearsed technique, Nanu figures; they need to leave no trace that they ever came. What is Nanu going to say at court? He can’t tell the truth, that’s for sure, the trial is going to be public and they can’t know that TR was ever involved…Giovanni will probably prepare some sort of story for them along the lines of Viren dying of a heart attack in house arrest with no witnesses. Suspicious, but effective. 

Nanu’s arm must have dropped down during his inner monologue because Kukui suddenly rushes forward with no regard to the yakuza boss approaching them. He scoops Ash up off the ground and cradles him in his arms, murmuring soft comforts while the boy remains in a state of near catatonia.

“Satoshi,” Giovanni calls, raising his voice. “Satoshi, I know you must be in quite a state of shock, hm?” 

Ash looks to him but says nothing, his eyes widening with fear. He condenses himself further in Kukui’s arms.

“I apologize for any undue stress I may have caused you.” 

Nanu huffs, blood boiling. “Shut the hell up. Why, Giovanni? Why now?” 

Giovanni rests a hand on his throat, feigning shock. “I would think you would be _glad_ for my appearance, Nanu. As you see, your men are only arriving now…which, I dare say, would have been too late.” He gestures to the squad cars pulling up, then gestures to the black body bag being hauled into a black SUV. Now that Nanu looks, there are several black SUVs lined up…they have been following him. Nanu’s burner phone must have a tracker of some sorts in it. Of course. 

Nanu steels himself. “You haven’t answered my question.” 

“Oh, but I have, haven’t I?” Giovanni smiles, all cunning. “We had a mutual enemy. We worked together to dispose of him. And now, with the death of our kingpin here, there is a power vacuum in Alola that I can begin to fill.” 

“You won’t be doing any expansion, Giovanni,” Looker’s voice rings out as he jogs out of the squad cars, several officers trailing behind him. 

“Oh? I won’t?” Giovanni teases. “And who are you to stop me, _Looker?_ I aided in your investigation. I provided for your Blue Notice—remember that strategically-placed flash drive? Look, I even did some dirty work for you.” 

Giovanni signals with his fingers again and the SUV doors open. Another series of TR agents come out, each handling handcuffed and gagged men.

Giovanni smiles again. “Here, Nanu. An…olive branch, if I may. Twenty-seven of Viren’s men that I’m providing for your custody.” 

Nanu snarls, “What authority did you have—“ 

“Would you rather _I_ keep them? Because I’ll gladly do so. I still have gaps in my intel of their little organization.” He twirls his finger. “You know how I enjoy advanced interrogation.” 

Nanu takes a measured breath. If Giovanni takes them, they’ll all die, and even though they’re criminals, they should be treated with justice. “You may _not_ have them.” 

“A simple _thank you_ would suffice.” Giovanni turns his nose up to Nanu, then gives a once-over to Nanu’s officers around him. “Ah! Deputy Chief Zhou! Wonderful to see you did not die.” 

Nanu spins around—she’s here!? She’s supposed to be with Burnet!

She folds her free arm over her chest. “So, Viren’s been neutralized?” 

“Oh, I like her. She gets straight to the point,” Giovanni purrs. “I did _neutralize_ him. You are welcome.” He spins on his heel. “Excuse me while I have a word with my men.” 

With Giovanni moving aside, Looker and Zhou eye each other, then move in closer to Nanu. She murmurs into Nanu’s ear, “The kid—“ 

“He’s okay now. He and Kukui should get out of here.” Nanu pauses. “Where is Burnet?” 

“At the hospital downtown,” Zhou answers, low enough for Kukui not to hear—not that he would hear anyway; he’s preoccupied, trying to comfort Ash while in a state of shock himself. 

“…Okay, well, that’s rather convenient, it won’t hurt for the kid to get checked out. Viren was rough with him, had him at gunpoint,” Nanu explains. He points to three officers, beckoning them forward. “Take Kukui and Ash to the hospital. I’ll stay with Driskel, Bryson, and Caruso to take the agents that Giovanni has rounded up and make sure things get cleaned up here. Both of you, try to explain TR’s involvement to the family with as few words as possible.” 

“Understood.” Looker nods along with Zhou.

Nanu turns around as he sees Giovanni approaching again. “We’ll regroup there once I finish.” 

“Yes, sir,” Zhou nods. She opens up her squad car door. “Professor, if you'll come with me—“ 

“Not so fast,” Giovanni tuts. “I still need a word with Satoshi.” 

Kukui growls. “I have no idea who you are, but you have no business with him.” 

Giovanni licks his lips, reveling in the conflict. “Oh? Is that true, Satoshi? We have no business with each other?” 

“No,” Ash finally murmurs. 

“Aw. He holds no grudges, does he? How…innocent of him.” Giovanni steps a little closer. “Consider all of this a favor, Satoshi. Do not let it weigh on your consciousness.” 

“I won’t.” Ash sits up straighter in Kukui’s arms, but his voice trembles.

“Good.” Giovanni smirks. “And yet…are you not curious as to why I helped you? Why I went out of my way to save your life? I could have easily killed Viren later, but instead, I went to the trouble of saving _you_ in the process.” 

Ash says nothing, stone-faced.

“Well, I’ll tell you anyway. Satoshi, you would make a _wonderful_ agent for me.” Giovanni comes even closer. “Your knowledge and experience would take us far. I would protect you from all the other teams…I’ve heard Flare has a satellite group now, actually. I would keep you safe from them.” 

“Don’t listen to him. He’s lying, Ash, Flare is _dead._ He’s fear-mongering,” Looker snarls. “Giovanni, _leave,_ before I change my mind and arrest you.” 

Giovanni pays him no mind. “Regardless…you have a talent, my young Satoshi.” 

Ash makes direct eye contact with him. “I would _never_ join you, Giovanni, even if it were my last option against Flare. I would never.” 

Giovanni exclaims, “But your Aura!” 

Ash, who had been hyperventilating previously, stops breathing entirely. 

“Oh, yes, your _little secret_ , hm? It’s what draws all the Legendaries and Mythicals towards you…it’s what makes you a target for all the other teams…and it’s what makes you _an asset to me._ I would appreciate your gifts and talents, Satoshi.” Giovanni inches closer, about to lay a hand on his shoulder. 

In the blink of an eye, Kukui sets Ash down behind him and snarls, “Don’t fucking touch him!” 

“Or what, Professor?” Giovanni teases. “You’ll…what, fight me?” 

Nanu sees the fire in Kukui’s eyes, but he’s too late to stop him. Kukui lands a solid uppercut to Giovanni’s jaw.

The sounds of several guns cocking ring out in the street, all aimed at Kukui’s head for striking The Boss himself.

But Giovanni raises a hand to them and the guns lower. He cracks his neck, recovering from the blow. “You’ve got quite an affinity for Satoshi, don’t you? The reports were true.” 

Kukui bristles, stepping to block Ash entirely. “What reports?” 

“Oh, that Agent Scott acquired. I had to have some intel on the man that’s standing between me and my newest agent.” Giovanni flicks his fingers. “You might recognize him. Scott, come out, say hello.” 

One of the black-clad agents steps out in the light of the squad car. He nods to Kukui.

“…Taye Scott? _Rampage?_ ” Kukui questions, eyes narrowing. 

“I heard you put up quite a fight against him. Agent Scott was out of commission for several days.” Giovanni laughs. “I put him up into the Battle Royal to try and gauge what sort of a threat you would be. As it turns out, you won, Professor. I was surprised! And not only did I learn of your physical strength, but of your…defensiveness of Satoshi here.” 

Kukui’s face hardens. “That comment…I thought you were just trying to distract me by bringing up Ash.” 

“Oh, I was.” The agent, large and muscular, crosses his arms. “But I was also trying to see how’d you react. And you reacted violently. I have respect for you, Kukui, but you’re in the way of The Boss.” 

Nanu watches as Kukui’s fists clench and the muscles in his neck tighten visibly, but this time, Nanu prevents another punch. He stands in front of Kukui, forcing him to step back.

Nanu straightens his uniform. “Giovanni, if you came here to take Ash, you sure went about it in a strange way.” 

Giovanni acts betrayed. “Me? _Take_ him? You paint me as a heartless criminal, Nanu. I wouldn’t dare.” He tightens the knot of his tie. “I simply wanted to express my interest in Satoshi, my loyalty to him. So. What’ll it be, Satoshi? Come with me and be safe for the rest of your life, collecting as many pokemon as you like with no Trainer regulations in your way and living without fear of your talents being discovered? Or stay here, with the Professor and Nanu, completely unshielded from the criminals around the world who want your power and influence?” 

Ash, back in Kukui’s arms, doesn’t say anything—he doesn’t seem _capable_ of speaking. His lips stay pressed together.

Giovanni scoffs. “I know you’ve never been the brightest of students, but it really is a very simple question. The best option seems very obvious to me.” 

There’s tense silence.

Ash couldn’t _actually_ be considering this, could he?

But Nanu notices something very small in the corner of his eye. Ash’s hands are… _glowing_. It’s very faint, but there’s a soft, blue glow on his hands, like the wisps of a flame.

…Or like a Lucario’s Aura Sphere. Holy shit. Giovanni was right? Ash has _aura?_

Giovanni chuckles nervously. “…Now, Satoshi, be careful with those—“ 

“Get _out_ of here _, Giovanni.”_ Ash speaks in a low tone, threatening and uncharacteristic of him. “Get out of here, before I do something I’ll regret.” 

Giovanni’s eyes widen for a moment, then he smiles once more. “You know how to reach me if you ever reconsider. You owe me your life now. Oreimairi sasete itadakimasu.” 

He turns on his heel and steps into one of the SUVs, leaving them in the dust. Viren’s men had been corralled into a paddywagon, ready to be transported to Alolan federal prison. Viren's blood on the blacktop was gone, cleaned up silently by the Team Rocket agents. There was no evidence that _anything_ had happened here.

Ash is the first to say anything. “C-can we leave now?” 

Nanu attempts a smile. “Yeah, kid. We can go.” 

Kukui murmurs a few words to him, then helps him gently into Zhou’s squad car. 

She closes the door, mumbling to Looker next to her, “What did Giovanni say just then?” 

“An old yakuza saying,” Looker mumbles back. “Literally, it means _Allow me to pay my respects,_ but figuratively, it means _I will exact vengeance._ ” 

They get into the car and drive off.

Nanu lets himself decompress for a few seconds, then collects himself and gets in his own shot-up car to lead his men and the paddywagon to the station. 

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


“...and so I told him, ‘No, I’m not gonna go out with you, not if you keep doing that crazy shit with the using-pokemon-moves-on-yourself.’” 

Kapono thumbs his chin, amused. “Let me guess. He didn’t stop?” 

Burnet laughs. “No. He brought me flowers and Chinese takeout the next day and said he ‘wouldn’t do anything stupid.’” 

Kapono laughs and swings his legs off his desk. “That worked out well, huh?” 

Burnet shrugs, leaning back in his office chair. “Well...I mean, we broke up two years after, when we graduated. But then we found each other again, and apparently he hasn’t used any moves on himself since Ash has moved in, so I’m at peace with that.” 

“Ha. He hasn’t stopped, he’s just replaced it with Battle Royal,” Kapono chuckles. “But I’m not sure which is more dangerous.” 

Burnet nods. “Battle Royal, probably. But at least that makes us some money.” 

“He could afford to pay me a little more—” Kapono stops halfway through his joke, looking down at the pager clipped to his scrubs. “Damn, why are y’all paging _me_ during my quality Burnet gossip time? I don’t even work in the ER!” He huffs, sliding off his desk.

“I better get going anyway, I still gotta go to Target and pick up groceries,” Burnet sighs, following him out of his office. 

“Take the service elevator with me, it’s faster,” Kapono suggests, hooking his arm around Burnet’s elbow.

She follows. “As long as I’m not in your way.” 

“You’re never in the way, my sweet and loving and very pregnant wife,” he croons.

She snorts and elbows him. “Shut up.” 

They continue bantering with each other as the elevator falls down to the ground-level ER department, but the banter stops as soon as the doors open.

“Oh my God—”

“KUKUI!” She shrieks and starts sprinting toward him. He hears her and turns around abruptly, an immediate reassurance passing over his face. Then it morphs into confusion.

“Burnet, wh—” He sputters. “What are you doing here?”

“I—Never mind that, what are _you_ doing here!?” She panics as she sees Ash curled up in his arms, covered in...blood, and clutching his half-lidded Pikachu and a Jumpluff like stuffed animals. “Ash! Holy shit!” 

Ash turns his head slightly and waves, a very faint smile gracing his features. He remains silent, though he strokes the two pokemon in his arms with gentle fingers.

Kapono curses colorfully next to them. “Jesus fucking Christ. Dr. Santos, why is he—” 

The doctor shakes her head and explains under her breath, “He’s not actively bleeding. I paged you to see if you could examine him. He won’t let me or any of the other staff touch him.” Sure enough, several nurses stand off to the side, clearly kicked out. 

“I—okay, sure, but someone tell me what the _fuck_ is happening.” Kapono looks around. Kukui, Ash, that Interpol agent, and—wait, “Rachel, what are _you_ doing here, I didn’t clear you for work!” 

“It was an emergency,” she offers. “Long story short, we brought him in for shock. He hasn’t spoken a word in twenty minutes. He was held at gunpoint, but as far as I know, the blood isn’t his.” 

“It isn’t.” Kukui holds him a little tighter when he whimpers quietly. “He was handled...roughly, though, and spent at least ten minutes with full weight on his leg.” 

“Okay.” Kap sighs, knowing that’s all the information he’s probably allowed to know, and moves in closer to Ash. “Hey, cousin. I’d really like a look at you for a quick sec. Would that be okay?” 

Ash, seeming to be a bit more comforted at Kap’s presence than the other orderlies, nods.

“Okay. Someone get blankets and the suture cart,” Kap orders, taking control of the situation. “And if one of you could run down to my office and get my Royal sweatshirt off the doorhook, that would be wonderful, his shirt has got to go and he’s cold to the touch.” 

Within seconds, Kap has his medical supplies at his fingers and an orderly is off to retrieve his sweatshirt. He can get to work now. He motions to Kukui. “Alright, set him down here.” 

Kukui lowers him down in the gentlest of motions, causing Ash to tense up and grasp at his lab coat frantically.

“Shh, shh, it’s okay,” Kukui soothes him, prying his fingers off his lab coat and, instead, holding them in his hands. “It’s alright. I’m not going anywhere.” 

Ash lets go, hesitation wild in his eyes. He grips to Kukui’s hands like he’d die if he let go. 

Kapono bends down slightly, trying not to bend over the gurney and startle him. “Are you in any pain, Ash?” 

He gulps, shrugging.

“Can you tell me where? You can point if that’s easier.” 

He bites his lip and points to his abdomen, then points to his head. 

“Okay, good, let’s have a look. I need you to be real still for me.” Kapono takes one of the blankets and wraps it around his legs for now, trying to keep him a little warm and encourage blood flow. He uses his trauma shears to cut through his bloodstained t-shirt; he doesn’t want him straining to pull it off, which could upset his abdomen further. Sure enough, there’s a small amount of blood speckled on his abdominal dressing.

“Pikapi…” 

“Pluh…” The two pokemon sniff at the soiled dressing, each mewling with concern.

He peels back the old dressing—well, that’s a source of pain. “Your incision ruptured a bit, kiddo, but it’s not too bad. You only need a couple stitches. It was mostly healed anyway.” 

Kap looks to Santos—this is supposed to be a surgeon’s job...not to say Kapono didn’t know how to suture. He’s done it plenty of times with Kukui. She nods, giving him permission.

“Cool, let me put a little bit of anesthetic on it, and I’ll take a look at that head of yours while it kicks in.” With a flick of his wrist, he injects the analgesic subcutaneously next to the incision. Ash winces, but otherwise remains silent. 

Kap takes his gloved hands and combs through Ash’s hair gently, feeling for any bumps, then stopping as he reaches his temple. “Oh man, I know that’s gotta hurt.” There’s a nasty bruise there, still red on the edges.

Ash nods and swallows as if he were about to speak, but stops himself.

“We’ll just get some ice on that, alright?” Kap makes eye contact with an orderly, who passes him an ice pack. Kap hands it over to Kukui. “Hold it there for a bit, if you would,” he instructs.

“Yeah.” Kukui cradles one hand under Ash’s head and holds the ice pack to his temple with his other hand. The cradling hand reaches up slightly, brushing curls off of Ash’s flushed forehead. “You’re okay now. They’re gone. It’s over,” he murmurs, chin resting on the gurney next to Ash’s face.

Kapono starts sewing the little ripped bits of scar tissue on Ash’s abdominal skin graft. He bites his tongue; he wants to ask what in the _hell_ happened out there. Ash was held at gunpoint, sure, and he’s got the bruise to prove it, but who? Why? How? Kapono has so many questions that he knows won’t ever be answered. 

Tears come to Ash’s eyes as he starts sewing...whether it’s from the physical pain, or from whatever Ash just was a part of, or a combination of both, Kap could never know. 

“You’re doing great, cousin, just a few more,” Kap tells him when he whimpers just above an audible level. He ties off the thread when he reaches the end, saying, “There. All done, Champ.” With a swift hand, he takes his Battle Royal sweatshirt and puts it on Ash to hang over him, then cocoons him in the heat-retaining blankets. “There we go. You a bit more comfortable now?” 

Ash gives him a thumbs-up and lets out a long exhale, looking up to Kap with teary eyes. He thumbs at his face, trying to wipe away the tears, but he just hiccups and sobs in the process, as if acknowledging the tears encouraged the crying.

Burnet, who had been silent and still as a stone in the back with the officers, appears next to them, white as a ghost. She had been briefed on the situation, it seems. She approaches Ash with care, but as soon as she’s in reach, Ash grasps her hand tightly. Burnet seems to accept this as an invitation that yes, she is allowed, and starts fussing over him gently.

Ash frowns and opens his mouth, considering his words very carefully, then grips both Kukui and Burnet’s hands and speaks for the first time in a while: “He knows. He _knows_.” 

Kap flinches. He has no idea what Ash is talking about, but his voice is so pained, _tortured,_ it makes his heart bleed.

“H-he knows?” Burnet questions, barely audible, to Kukui.

Kukui nods, eyes solemn and unforgiving.

“Ash. Giovanni will not be a threat to you.” The Interpol guy—Kapono thinks he looks like the Tenth Doctor, honestly—steps forward. “I swear my _life_ on it. Zhou, Nanu, and I have already talked it over. We’re all staying in Alola to work together to drive TR out and make sure _no one_ harms you again.” 

“Looker’s absolutely right. We’ll stop at nothing to make sure TR retreats from the islands and stays the _hell_ away from you.” Zhou takes a step forward, standing at attention. “As for the rest of Viren’s men, two-thirds of them were captured twenty minutes ago, and the locations of the other fourteen are confirmed and will be captured by the end of the night. And when it’s time for them to be tried in a court of law, I happen to know your defense attorney—he’s a member of the Army JAG Corps and works contractually for Interpol, and he is _extremely_ good at his job. Rest easy, Ash, and know that none of this was in vain. You _will_ find justice and peace.” 

Everyone looks for his reaction; he remains silent and completely stone-faced for a solid three seconds, then bursts into laughter—wild and raucous, sending tears soaring from his already overflowing eyes down his cheeks. Ash had that kind of effect, that contagious emotion that flowed off him in waves and saturated everything and everyone around him. Right now the room is physically loosening...Kapono could almost swear the walls are shaking, like a Wela eruption. It’s joyful, but melancholy. Untimely. 

It takes a few moments for Ash to collect himself, his laughter dying to small chuckles punctuated with staccato sobs.

“I...I dunno. I was just thinking...This whole time I thought I was just a really bad driver.” He laughs, and this time it’s actually funny; they all laugh. “But this whole time I thought—I really thought it was all my fault. And I guess some of it is. But...I was kinda being dumb. I’m not a victim, but...but it isn’t _right_ for me to place it all on myself, and now I just feel a little bit silly, ‘cos I had all you guys helping me but I never really _consciously_ accepted most of your help.” He pauses and takes a deep breath. “...Sorry, that was stupid, I shoulda just kept my mouth shut—” 

“Ash, hush.” Kap waves his hands. “Look, you just went through a major traumatic experience that I don’t have a clue about and I don’t need to know about. But you were in shock— _real_ shock—and sometimes shock does this...kindof miracle thing where you suddenly get a _lot_ of clarity. So I want you to remember what you just said there. It’s important, okay? Tonight might seem like a blur in a few days, so it’s important to remember you said that, because it is the most insightful thing I have heard in my twenty-five-year life.” 

Ash nods. He understands; Kap can see it in his face. 

Kap turns slightly. “As for you, Kukui, the shock hasn’t hit you yet. In my personal experience with you, it usually takes a little bit to...ah, steep, huh?” 

Kukui nods. “Yeah, it’ll be sometime tomorrow before I actually come to terms with it. I’ll be fine.” 

Kap winces. “You say that, and I don’t really believe it, but I’ll accept that for now.”

Kukui laughs and rubs his face, clearly exhausted.

Kap gazes at the electric mouse curled up against Ash’s shoulder; he’s wheezing and his pupils are pinpoint. “...Is Pikachu okay? He looks...a little bit out of it.” 

“He’s okay, I think. I had to put him in his ball...I think he’s just feeling a little shock, too,” Ash reasons. “You feeling any better, buddy?” 

“Pi-ka.” He twitches his shoulders in a move that resembles a shrug. “Pi-ka-chupi?”

Ash frowns. “Pikachu, what kind of question is that? I’m fine.” 

“Pi,” Pikachu...deadpans, which Kap wasn’t aware a pokemon could do. 

Ash scratches under his chin, making tiny yellow fur clouds shed onto the gurney’s white sheets. “Seriously, Pikachu. Fine.” 

Pikachu seems to accept this and waddles into Ash’s arms, curling up to doze off. Pikachu had reached the exhaustion-point of shock; it won’t be long until Ash does, too. His eyes aren’t quite as bright as usual—he might fall asleep soon, which will do him good.

“So, um...are we gonna go home, or…” Ash whispers, half-sleepy and not wanting to wake Pikachu. He sits up carefully, keeping Pikachu still, and pats the Jumpluff on his lap. 

“Um, I dunno, can we?” Kukui looks to Kap.

Kap sighs, putting up his equipment and snapping his gloves off. “I’m done here. Just promise me you’ll take it easy tonight.” 

Kukui nods, then he looks to Zhou and the Interpol agent. 

Zhou sips at her free hospital waiting room coffee that Kap knows tastes like burnt cardboard. “Yeah, you can go home. We might keep watch there tonight, though.” She holds out a pokeball and recalls the Jumpluff. 

Looker nods. “We’ll take you to the station tomorrow for a debrief. Tonight, just rest, we’ll do the work.” 

“Thank you.” Kukui smiles in that vacant way, mind clouded. 

“C’mon, boys, I’ll drive us home,” Burnet suggests, squeezing Kukui’s shoulders as she stands. 

“...Oh, right, your car is here.” Kukui questions. “Wait...why _were_ you here at the hospital?” 

Burnet looks to Kap, eyes wide with panic.

Kap takes this as a signal to intervene. Kukui might combust if he learns about the pregnancy right now. “You guys can talk about that later. Right now you need to get Ash home and settled.”

Burnet visibly relaxes and mouths a _thank you_ to Kap. 

“Um, okay?” Kukui laughs, confused. “Whatever. C’mon, keiki, I’m pretty sure your crutches are in Nanu’s cop car. Do you want Incineroar, or…” 

“She’s at home.” Ash frowns. “I can hop—” 

Ash gets a resounding _no_ from everyone in the room.

“Okay, well…” Ash chuckles nervously, then reaches his hands up to wrap around Kukui’s neck. Kukui lifts him carefully, but holds him close and tight. “I still can’t believe you punched Giovanni...” Ash and Kukui laugh as they walk out.

Burnet moves to follow them, but Kap grasps her shoulder. “Burnet, wait.” 

She looks at him, wary and panic hidden under a faint smile. 

“You have to tell them tonight.” 

She gulps. “I know.” 

“Kukui might pass out. Or barf. Or both. He’s gonna freak.” 

“I know.” 

“Promise me you _will_ tell them, _tonight_.” 

“I promise.” 

* * *

  
  


Burnet did not keep her promise, not in the strictest sense.

This was mostly because Ash fell asleep as soon as they got home, and Kukui retreated to the lab to “work on that paper,” which meant he was talking to his sponsor and shouldn’t be interrupted. She hasn’t heard any noise from the lab for about an hour, though; he maybe fell asleep, too.

So here Burnet sits, seltzer water in hand, trying to pretend it’s a beer. It’s nearly midnight, too late to make some sort of dinner for herself...she could go to sleep, but her mind is racing...she could watch TV or something, but...God, why is this difficult?

Ash was almost shot tonight. Viren was killed by a yakuza boss right in front of their eyes. Her husband punched said yakuza boss. Said yakuza boss knows Ash is an aura user and that’s very, _very_ dangerous. 

And she was just with Kap, chilling, not in danger at all.

Why does she feel guilty about that?

She exhales sharply, pulling her rosary out of the pocket of her sweatpants. 

She thumbs the silver cross. “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth…” 

She gets frustrated and throws it down. Why is she even doing this? It’s not like it’ll change anything. God sure has been treating her family funny recently. She could use a miracle. Or not even a miracle. Just, like, one good day. One good moment. 

Her stomach hurts. She should just go to bed like everyone else. She maybe does doze off for a bit, because the next thing she remembers is jolting to the sound of conversation. It’s downstairs; luckily, she has excellent hearing and the house isn’t insulated well. 

“Come on, Kukui-hakase, it’s important!” 

“Ash, what could be so important that you’re up right now? Unless you’re dying, please, for the love of Koko, go back to bed.” 

“It’s Burnet-hakase!” 

“...What about her?” 

“I dunno, that’s the thing! Just come on!” 

Something clatters—his desk chair falling to the floor, probably. Feet thump up the stairs, and Burnet hardly has the willpower or energy to even sit up. 

“Burnet-hakase!” Ash exclaims. He’s got his arm around Kukui’s shoulder to use him as a crutch, but it’s more like Ash is pulling Kukui up the stairs than it is the other way around. 

She squints, sleepiness clouding her eyes. What’s happening? “Yes, baby?” 

“You...I dunno! You’re aura’s just really, _really_ sad and guilty and...weird. It’s almost as bad as Gladion’s!” He sputters, hopping over to the couch and dragging Kukui along. “Please tell us what’s wrong! I wanna help!” 

Almost as bad as Gladion’s? Ha, that’s actually pretty funny.

Ash frowns, gears turning in his head. “...I feel like this has something to do with why you were at the hospital before we came! You’re not sick or anything, are you?” 

She feels herself clamming up again, breaking into a cold sweat that sends shivers down from the crown of the head to her toes.

“Honey?” Kukui puts a hand on her knee. “You look a little pale, you okay?” 

She sighs, looking at her boy’s faces. Ash, so young, so pristine, even though there’s a red shadow of a scar above his eye and a bruise on his temple. Kukui, weatherbeaten and squinting without his glasses, but caring and soft.

She loves them so much. Can she bear to tell them there’s someone else joining their little family?

“I, um…” She starts. 

They look at her with anticipation, _concern_.

She bites the inside of her cheek when tears come to her eyes and swallows a sob.

“Burnet!” Kukui gasps quietly. He reaches for her hand to hold, but she pulls it away.

She sniffs, trying to collect herself, then lets out a burst of laughter. “No... _You guys_ are the ones who went through shit today, I dunno why I’m crying, especially ‘cos it’s all my fault for keeping it from you guys—” 

“Burnet-hakase, no!” Ash interjects. “Whatever you’re feeling, it’s really big, and it’s important that you let it all out! Right now you’re backpedaling.” 

Burnet and Kukui look at each other and laugh. He’s so cute when he plays therapist.

“I’m still in my, what did Kap say, _clarity,_ ” Ash asserts, keeping his giggles barely inside. “But seriously, Burnet-hakase, Kukui-hakase and I both trust you completely and we’d never blame you for holding something in that’s painful…” he trails off. “Am I...saying any of the right things here? That’s just how it feels. ‘Cos you’re hurting. And that’s not good.” 

She does _not_ deserve her boys. 

“Come here, you two.” 

They get in their usual positions; Ash curls up at her side and rests his head on her shoulder, while Kukui gets on her opposite side to reach his arm around all of them. She enjoys the feeling of them all sandwiched together for a few moments. It’s nice.

She smiles. This feels so nice. “A little closer, now that I have you.” 

They both grin that goofy grin they can do. Kukui adjusts himself so she’s leaning almost entirely on him—even their legs intertwine. Ash is flopped to be halfway in her lap, halfway leaning against her. This is even better.

“I—” Her voice wavers and cracks. 

They don’t pull back; in fact, maybe they come a little closer. Another round of Kukui’s thumbs brush the tears off her cheek.

She lets her voice be only a whisper, floating on the air, though the words feel like lead on her tongue: “I’m pregnant.” 

She feels Ash’s jaw physically drop open. Kukui’s breath catches and no air escapes his lips for at least four seconds.

On a nervous whim, she glances up at the clock on the wall: 12:53. She broke Kap’s promise.

Then she’s snapped back to the present when she feels kisses on her cheek, her jaw, her neck, her forehead. There’s a wetness on her cheek, not from her tears, but from Kukui’s.

“Burnet…” He pulls away and they both get a good look at each other. Kap’s prediction is wrong; Kukui is neither passing out nor barfing, but he’s definitely crying. She thinks they’re tears of joy, though. He’s beaming. He rubs at his eyes, laughing, “Now _everything’s_ really blurry!” Then he goes right back to kissing her.

“...You’re happy?” 

He kisses her once more, then pulls away for good. “I am the _luckiest_ man in the world. How could I not be happy?” 

“‘Cos I kept it a secret.” 

“Nothing could possibly taint how I feel right now, Burnet,” he hums against her neck. “...It is mine, right?” 

She rolls her eyes. “Pfft. Of course it is.” 

Ash seems to have found his jaw, because he stutters out, “Y-you’re _pregnant?_ That explains _so much!_ ” 

Burnet cocks her head at him and Kukui does the same.

“Well, you have a _huge_ amount of aura. Like, it’s blinding. I’d wake up in the middle of the night and think there’s another person in the house ‘cos of it. And then you getting all nauseous...and the kinda...secret-y feeling!” He sputters out. 

She laughs and cocks an eyebrow at her talented kid. “Are _you_ happy?” 

“I—of course! Yes! Congratulations! Omedeta!” He beams and nuzzles his face in her shoulder. 

Kukui chuckles and runs his fingers through her hair. “How long have you known?” 

She winces. “About four weeks.” 

“...Four weeks?” Kukui seems to put the pieces together in his mind. “Four weeks— _Burnet_.” 

“Yeah. Remember how I had you drive separately then?” She smiles, irony sharpening her tongue. “I was gonna tell you and Olivia that night. But, y’know...I just _couldn’t_ , not after what happened. It couldn’t be about me.” 

“Oh. _Oh.”_ Kukui mutters. “Burnet, all that time...God, it must have been so _lonely_.” He looks at her with sorrowful eyes. “I wasn’t there for you...I’m sorry.” 

She frowns. “Hey, it’s not your fault that I was stubborn about keeping it secret. Besides, I wasn’t totally alone.” She pauses. “...Y’know how I was hanging out with Kap a lot?” 

His face pales. 

She fishes in her pocket for the ultrasound pictures. She’s been keeping them on her person this whole time; she couldn’t hide them anywhere for fear of Kukui finding them, so she just figured she should keep them with her all the time.

“He’s been, y’know, taking care of things for me,” Burnet explains as she passes the little black and white pictures to Kukui. “I know you were, I dunno, a little jealous or something, but we weren’t—it was only ‘cos—” 

“I was so wrong,” Kukui murmurs, thumbing the picture in his hand and tracing the small white blob in the center. “ _So_ wrong. I’m sorry, I don’t know how you can forgive me—” 

She shakes her head. “Shh, Kukui, I just said it wasn’t your fault.” 

He bites his lip. “But still, it must have hurt, to have me arguing with you when you...you were just taking care of our baby.” 

“It hurt some, I won’t lie. But I knew it was never your fault. It was my choice—a stupid choice that Kap was trying to get me to reconsider at every turn—to keep it from you. So I should accept the responsibility for that.” 

She stiffens up, but Kukui holds her even closer and she melts a little more. “Any remorse you feel…let it go. You and me and Ash and...little pepe, we’re in it together now, and you don’t have to be lonely anymore.” 

A few more tears roll down her cheeks.

Ash, bursting at the seams next to them, can’t seem to hold back any longer. “How far along are you?” 

She pulls herself together and smiles. “Nine weeks yesterday.” 

“...Can I touch your belly?” Ash asks, wonder in his eyes.

She giggles. Ash is so gentle—this isn’t at all like Lusamine reaching out to touch her uninvited. He’s family. “Sure, honey, but you won’t feel any kicks or something cool like that, he’s not big enough yet.” 

“‘He?’ You think it’s a boy?” Kukui smiles, that well-known curiosity spreading over his tear-stained face.

Burnet nods. “I think so. Might be wrong, I won’t— _we_ won’t know for another nine weeks.” 

Ash’s hand, petite like the rest of him, lays gently on her slightly-bloated midsection. It stays there for a bit, sending warmth all through Burnet’s body.

“...I feel the aura,” he mumbles. “I feel the aura. There’s a _baby_ in there.” 

“Yeah,” Burnet hiccups. “Yeah, there is.” 

Kukui’s hand moves to replace Ash’s when it slides away. He traces the area with the lightest of touches, then plants a tiny kiss on her belly.

She holds both their hands, raising them up for a second. “If I woulda’ known you’d both be so happy...wish I told you guys sooner.” 

“Tonight has suddenly gotten a lot better,” Ash asserts. Kukui hums in agreement.

They sit there for a long time, arms wrapped around each other peacefully and simply enjoying each other’s presence. And they fall asleep like that, comforted by the notion that none of them ever have to be alone again. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew.
> 
> (stay safe. love you all.)


	18. interlude: common knowledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mew damage control + daveed damage control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i'm calling this an interlude since it's a bit shorter than what i usually use as a chapter. it should explain some things i've been meaning to hammer out—this being said, like always, if you're confused by my shitty diction, just drop a comment.
> 
> also, wow! look at this [crazy new leak for the next few anime episodes!](https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019)
> 
> love you all very much. our journey together is nearly at a close. hang in there.

**_Satoshi._ **

_ “Hey, Mew.” Ash finds himself in the Hall of Origin once more, bare feet sticking against the marble floor and sleep clothes hanging off his frame. “What’s up?”  _

**_How casual you are for a human who just experienced bone-chilling terror._ ** _ She’s assumed a human form in tonight’s visit, splayed across the gilded throne at the end of the hall. Her royal-looking robes are silken pink, floating around her in a dramatic fashion. She lifts a pale finger and they settle around her, succumbing to gravity instead of telekinesis.  _

_ Ash laughs. “‘Bone-chilling?’ I dunno, it wasn’t that bad. It’s over now, I’m fine.”  _

_ She smirks.  _ **_Be careful with your lies, Chosen. You’ll soon believe them as truth._ **

_ Ash cocks his head at the Mythical, pretending not to comprehend. He does this a lot.  _

**_You continue to forget that I feel everything you feel._ **

_ He scratches the back of his head and laughs, “Oh, well, if you feel everything I feel, maybe you’d know how I’m really concerned and confused for Kukui-hakase, especially about how he seems okay all of a sudden.”  _

**_I have no desire to feel the other humans._ ** _ She picks at her nails, biting them like a pokemon would do. She rolls her eyes and her humanoid image flickers out in a blip—she is pokemon once more. _

_ Ash struggles to concentrate, slightly hypnotized by her shapeshifting. He regains his line of thought quickly. “I—Mew, I didn’t ask you to get inside his head—I definitely don’t want you to do that. I just want you to...I dunno, clear some things up for me. Like, I dunno if you remember or if I was just hallucinating, but that night you told me about ‘a human’ that would ‘anchor’ me or something? And I know you were talking about Kukui-hakase. So I feel like it’s not really fair for you to just kinda...drop that all of a sudden and expect me to sort it out.”  _

_ She flips in the air, giggling.  _ **_I am a god, for all intents and purposes. I can say whatever I like, do whatever I like to ensure you survive to carry out my will. You are lucky I tolerate your obstinacy. You behave like a child._ **

_ “Maybe because I am one.”  _

_ Her flipping stops and she blinks her wide, sapphire eyes at him.  _ **_Now, that is false, Satoshi. Do not make excuses. You have a responsibility as the Chosen to act in a mature fashion._ **

_ “How’s that going so far for you?”  _

_ Her playful flitting resumes.  _ **_Not extremely well. You died. You explicitly aren’t allowed to do that._ **

_ “Don’t try and pin that on me, Mew. I’m over the whole blaming-myself thing. I’m not gonna do it.”  _

_ She flies up close to him, mere centimeters from his face.  _ **_Accept the role of Chosen and the duties that come with it. You cannot resist. The fate of the world does fall in your hands many times a day, though you may not realize it. You are...the final cog in the center of the universe, Satoshi, and you need to be alive and cooperative to run the...machine of existence, if you will._ **

_ “So I can’t just throw my hands up and quit, huh?”  _

**_You may. However, you would remain Chosen, and the world would crumble around you. It would be your fault._ **

_ “...Yay. I feel so encouraged...and not guilty at all.”  _

**_Sarcasm does not suit you, Satoshi._ **

_ He ignores her. “Help me understand about Kukui-hakase.”  _

**_Satoshi, I had to pick some sort of mortal distraction to convince you to stay alive. I picked the human in your mind that seemed to invoke the most admiration in you, and it so happened to be the…_ ** _ She pauses and transforms herself into Kukui—er, a crude approximation of him.  _ **_...Professor, as you call him?_ **

_ Ash giggles. She likes to show off, but this time she’s not performing well. “You’ve got his accent all wrong. And his face...his nose isn’t that big, and his eyes are brown, not green.”  _

_ She frowns and blips back into pokemon form.  _

_ Ash smirks. “Besides...I think you’re lying, Mew.”  _

**_Oh? And what makes you say that?_ **

_ “I’ve gotten better at using my aura. You’re lying,” Ash asserts.  _

**_...It was merely a test of your aura capabilities!_ **

_ He frowns. “Whatever. Tell me the truth. How am I supposed to make good Chosen One decisions if what you’re telling me is fake?”  _

**_Do you want the truth? The sincere, complete truth?_ **

_ “Yes, of course I do.”  _

**_The one you call Professor is what I like to think of as my...liaison. Your aura capacities have grown too powerful. I can no longer see everything that happens in your head. Kukui, however, has a very sharp and observant mind, and I can see into his mind easily to view what you are doing. The other Legends and I decided long ago that he would become a sort of...protector for you when we could not intervene, and as a secondary purpose, would serve as a pair of eyes for us._ **

_ “...That’s kinda messed-up, Mew. You’re using him.”  _

**_Like I said. I am a god. It is my purpose to use my resources around me to run the universe in an orderly manner._ **

_ Ash can’t think of a response to that. _

**_I hope this has been informative, Satoshi. We will continue to guard what we can from you here in the Hall of Origin._ **

_ Ash opens his mouth to speak, but finds himself hurtling down to Earth. _

… 

_ Kukui is standing in a long hall, a throne room of some sort. He’s dressed in the same clothes he went to sleep in—an old t-shirt and gym shorts, which clearly isn’t enough for the temperature in the room. It’s chilled, and his bare feet on the cold marble floor only chill him more. _

**_Kukui._ **

_ “...Yes?” Kukui questions, snapping his head up. There’s a woman—a girl—sitting in one of the gilded thrones, dressed in pink silk.  _

_ What the hell kind of dream is this? _

_ She smiles.  _ **_Do not be afraid. I am Mew._ **

_ Kukui almost laughs. “...Mew? The Mythical Mew?” She looks human—well, shit, wait, now she’s a pokemon. _

_ She flips in the air like this is all normal and fun.  _ **_Yes. Listen openly and carefully. I will not make myself clear to you again._ **

_ This has got to be one of the top ten shittiest dreams he’s ever had. “...Okay?”  _

**_I gave you the responsibility of protecting Satoshi long ago. He is very important to us...he’s a Chosen one, if you like, and you were deemed his protector long before your birth. You have carried out your duty relatively well so far, with the exception of the past few weeks. But Giovanni is a human threat that we Legends and Mythicals have very little leverage with. You must ensure Ash’s aura remains secret, by any means necessary. He has very important tasks ahead of him as Chosen. Giovanni must not harm him. Do you understand?_ **

_ This is trippy as hell, but it also makes a lot of sense. Weird. “I do.”  _

**_No. You do not. Let me spell it out for you. You will protect him at any cost, even if it is your life._ **

_ “I—”  _

**_Silence. That was not a request. You will protect him._ **

_ He laughs, suddenly feeling very nervous. “I would have anyway.”  _

**_And that is why we chose you._ **

_ Kukui smiles, then yelps when the scene around him dissolves and he’s falling, falling, falling down to Earth somehow. _

… 

_ Burnet is cold. The marble floor on her bare feet chills her down to the bone. She’s not wearing much—she went to bed in only a tank-top and a pair of Kukui’s boxers, the exact clothes she’s wearing right now. Why is she here? Her dreams have been so weird since she got pregnant. At least it’s only a dream. _

**_Hello._ **

_ Burnet jolts and immediately places a hand on her belly—wow, that habit crossed over to her dream? Suddenly, there’s a girl in the room, clad in pink silk. She smiles warmly, and an actual warmth passes over Burnet. _

**_I am Mew._ **

_ Burnet narrows her eyes. “Mew is a pokemon...if it even exists, that is. Who are you really?”  _

**_I keep assuming humans will accept me more in a humanoid form. I suppose I am wrong._ ** _ The girl disappears, replaced with a small feline—Mew. The actual Mew. Wow, what a cool dream! Burnet actually gets to see Mew! _

_ “...I—”  _

**_I do not require you to speak._ **

_ Burnet nearly laughs—Mew is very sassy in this dream. Interesting. _

**_I bring you here merely for you to acknowledge my existence. I have no message for you. You may go now._ **

_ Burnet actually laughs this time. _

**_Tell me, what is funny?_ **

_ It’s like Burnet’s being questioned by a schoolteacher for giggling in class. She quickly goes on the defensive. “I mean, it’s just kindof absurd. I don’t usually dream this vividly, so I’m glad it could be about an ultra-rare pokemon.”  _

**_It’s not a dream._ **

_ The room dissolves. Burnet expects herself to fall, but instead, Mew looks at her slightly-swollen belly with some sort of pity and lifts a hand. Burnet floats down to Earth, nearly pissing herself with fear but feeling strangely comforted all the while. _

* * *

Burnet jolts awake from her strange dream. She immediately pulls back, remembering that they had fallen asleep together on the couch, but then freezes when she realizes the couch is empty. 

She glances at the clock on the microwave—3:24 AM. Where’d those boys go now?

With a groan, Burnet rolls off the couch. She stumbles blindly until she reaches the front door, twisting it open and peeking her head out.

“...I just don’t want you to have to—Burnet-hakase.” Ash stops mid-sentence, looking up at her from the porch swing. He’s laying flat on his back, with Kukui cradling his head in his lap. They must be in some sort of deep discussion; Ash’s face is hard-set and uncompromising.

She steps out onto the porch, letting the humid night breeze warm her skin. “Hi, boys. Whatcha doin’ out here so late?” 

Ash’s eyes widen in panic. “...What are  _ you  _ doing out here so late?” He counters.

“Vivid pregnancy dreams and a cold, empty couch,” she deadpans. “This seat taken?” 

“Saving it just for you,” Kukui murmurs, scooting over slightly to make room for her and snaking his arm around her shoulder. “Ash and I had a...rather peculiar experience about ten minutes ago.” 

“Oh?” 

“We had very similar dreams at the exact same time,” he continues, tone measured and masking complete panic. 

She cocks her head, alarm bells ringing. “What were they about?” 

“A Mythical pokemon.” Ash lolls his head to face away from both of them. 

_...A Mythical pokemon? _

“...Honey?” 

“Hm?” Burnet flicks out of her stupor when Kukui nudges her.

He chuckles nervously, “You’ve got the whole deerling-in-headlights thing going on.” 

Burnet shakes her head to try to clear out the fog of sleep, but all she sees in her mind’s eye… “Was the mythical pokemon Mew, by any chance?” 

“Yeah.” Ash’s eyes widen. “What, did she visit you too? Was she threatening you like Kukui-hakase?” 

Kukui butts in, “I wouldn’t say she was  _ threatening  _ me, per se—” 

Ash looks thoroughly unconvinced. “She  _ ordered  _ you to die for me, Kukui-hakase! That’s a threat!” 

“It’s not a threat if I would do it anyway, Ash. I thought we had gone over this already.” 

Ash quiets at that comment.

Burnet clears her throat, shattering the tense air between them. “Um...not sure what happened to you two, but it wasn’t anything like that for me. She just kinda...was there, and told me to ‘acknowledge her existence.’” 

Ash sighs, almost in disgust. “She does that sometimes. For a god, she’s kinda insecure.” 

Kukui and Burnet both snort at that. There’s something absurd about Ash calling the most coveted and mysterious pokemon of all time  _ insecure. _

“So, um, why did that just happen? Us all having dreams with Mew?” Burnet manages to ask after she recovers from the absurdity.

“Mew and I have...kindof a complicated history.” Ash adjusts slightly to curl closer to Kukui and Burnet. “I’m not gonna explain everything just ‘cos it’s confusing and...well, you had to have been there for it to make sense. But like...the whole aura thing—and Kukui-hakase, you remember when Giovanni was talking about me attracting Legendaries? It’s cos’ I’m supposed to be...like, a ‘chosen one.’”

“Mew mentioned that. I didn’t really know what she meant by it.” Kukui bites his bottom lip and runs a hand over Ash’s bedhead. “So...you’re the Chosen One? What does that really mean?” 

“Day to day? Not much.” Ash shrugs. “But sometimes crazy stuff happens, and I’m supposed to fix it since I have aura and stuff and I’m kinda good with Legendaries.” 

“Like...with Nebby?” Burnet tries to connect the dots. “You talked about how you were  _ chosen _ to take care of them.” 

Ash nods. “Yeah. Exactly. Apparently Mew has some sort of plan, and part of that plan was me coming here to Alola so I could raise Nebby and eventually help Necrozma get its light back.” He pauses for a second, then resumes, “I don’t think Viren and the car crash was part of her plan. I’m not supposed to die, see? So she did this thing—apparently I was dead when it happened—where she came to me and told me that I couldn’t die, and told me to go back to Kukui-hakase.” 

Burnet and Kukui look at each other, slightly confused by the information Ash just revealed. 

“Sorry. Shouldn’t’a said anything,” Ash murmurs.

“No, sweetie, these things you’re telling us are important,” Burnet insists. She considers her words carefully, then says, “...It’s got to be a lot of pressure on you, isn’t it?” 

Ash looks at her with his mouth open for a moment, then stammers, “I-I mean, kinda, but I’m used to it. Besides, I have help a lot of the time.” 

“Sure, Ash, but it’s still got to be damaging to keep all of this inside,” Kukui points out.

Ash shakes his head. “But I have to. When people find out...bad stuff happens. Like Lysandre. And now Giovanni.” 

“Alright.” Kukui holds up his hands. “I just want to be able to help you, keiki.” 

“You already are, yeah? Mew’s been making you help the whole time I’ve been here. ‘S not a coincidence that I came to live with you, or that Burnet-hakase came to live with us, too. Mew’s kinda... _ using _ you guys, ‘cos I’ve needed your help...I’m sorry.” 

Burnet shushes him gently. “But sweetie, she’s not using us if we  _ want _ to help you. It’s the decent thing to do. Don’t ever be sorry. Mew—or God, I dunno—brought us together, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

Kukui nods. “Burnet’s right. Don’t forget that helping you isn’t just our obligation—it’s our honor, our pleasure.” 

“I…” Ash starts, then doesn’t finish. His mouth closes and he curls up a little tighter into them. “Thanks.” 

They rock on the swing a little longer, just a little longer, willing the calm moment to stay for as long as it can.

* * *

Zhou got up at the crack of dawn like she usually would, but instead of going to the gym or the firing range like she might on a normal day, she went to the airport. She’s been here for nearly an hour now, tapping her off-duty sneakers on the tile and fidgeting with her sling. Her shoulder doesn’t hurt so much now, but Kap’s been adamant about the sling, so she’s putting up with it.

She’s more concerned about what Daveed’s gonna say when his plane lands. He doesn’t know about her...incident yet. But he’s about to know  _ everything  _ about the kid’s case, because he’s Ash’s attorney. Not that he knows much about it yet.

Zhou checks the arrivals board again.  _ San Francisco, 5:30 AM HST—Arrived.  _ Finally.

She spends another few minutes simultaneously scrolling through twitter, tapping her toes, and fidgeting with her sling, but stands up as soon as people start streaming through the gates. 

She cranes her head, then spots him—he’s in uniform and everything. Army dudes are pretty abundant in Alola, so he’s not the only one with his greens on, but he’s the only one who can wear them so well.

He scans the wide receiving area, his soft brown eyes looking for her.

She whistles quiet enough to not make a scene but loud enough for his sharp jaw to snap around toward her. He takes off his patrol cap immediately and runs straight for her.

He skids to a stop in front of her, reaching out to touch her but recoiling when he sees her slinged shoulder. “Rachel! Rachel, my God, what—” 

She takes her free hand and places her ringed finger on his lips. “Shh. Kiss me, I haven’t seen you in three weeks.” 

He looks at her for another few moments, then takes her face in his palms and begins kissing her, kissing her like they’re horny teenagers again. Her hand runs over his stubby, grown-out-but-still-buzzed hair while they linger there for as long as they can.

Thank God it’s only 5:30 in the morning. They’re virtually alone, save for a few sleepy TSA agents. 

He finally pulls away for air. “Rachel, were you  _ shot _ ?” 

Damn. She always forgets he’s in the service, too, and knows about this kind of thing. “Maybe.” 

“Are you—Why didn’t you call me!? I was just sitting at my parents’ house doing  _ nothing _ !” He exclaims, exasperated. “I know we both have weird jobs, but I’m your  _ fiance _ now. You could have called me. You  _ should  _ have called me.” 

She frowns. “Daveed, I appreciate the sentiment, but don’t be an idiot. You think I would’ve sent you away to your parents for three weeks—make you take out the three weeks of leave we were saving for our  _ honeymoon— _ just for fun?” 

He sighs, shifting so he’s holding her hand, and kisses her cheek. “...You can’t tell me what happened, can you?” 

She smirks. “What if I told you that you already know? I assume the JAG’s office sent you a rather large case recently, Captain Sial.” 

His eyes narrow. “You—wait, there  _ was _ a police casualty in that case...the hitman...he came to our  _ apartment _ !? That was  _ you _ !?” He exclaims.

“Shh!” She elbows him. “We’re in a goddamn  _ airport _ , Daveed, be careful.” 

“ _ Sorry _ , how else was I supposed to react when I found out my fiance was one of the casualties in my newest case and I didn’t even know?” He deadpans. “Don’t tell me you and Kahuna Nanu—and you must have been working with Interpol, too. The report just said ‘local law enforcement in conjunction with the International Police—’” 

She rolls her eyes. “Daveed. Don’t spaz. Why don’t you get me one of those free muffins from the USO and I’ll fill in the gaps of your report?” 

“I—You’re insufferable, you know that?” 

“I know.” 

“I love you, though.” 

“And I love you.” She accepts his kisses and holds his hand tighter. “Now, c’mon, Captain Daveed Sial, Juris Doctor. On with the taxpayer muffins for your wounded fiance.” 

“Pfft.” He leads her toward the USO lounge. “I really can’t believe you got me this case, Rachel. This case is...it’s  _ huge _ . It’s the case of a  _ lifetime _ —no offense to your shoulder.” 

She shrugs with one shoulder. “None taken. Nanu and I talked it over and we both agreed that there was only one attorney in the Army JAG we could trust, and Looker didn’t care either way, so...here we are. Hopefully your CO’s okay with it.” 

“My CO—He’s  _ psyched. _ He’s a huge fan of pokemon battling and nearly had a stroke when he heard about, um, Mr. Ketchum’s...incident. He almost had another stroke when he got the case yesterday.” He pauses to smile at the attendant manning the entrance to the lounge, then grabs two of the muffins. “Rachel...the sheer damage control we’re gonna have to do with this case...it’s crazy. The public can’t know half of what’s in this report.” 

She chomps on her muffin, nodding nonchalantly. It’s old news to her. “What’d they decide for the cover story for Viren?” 

“Heart attack in his home from the stress of house arrest, but it’s ambiguous. The press will probably pick it up as a suicide.” 

She nods. “That’s fine by me. As long as Ash gets justice.” 

“You know him well by now, I guess, if you were the ‘local law enforcement’ on his case.” 

“Yeah.” She swallows a big bite of muffin. “Sweet kid. He’s holding up remarkably well. You’re gonna love him.” 

“I hope so. He and I are gonna be working closely with each other until I get at least twenty years on every damn one of Viren’s bastards,” he sighs. “But that isn’t even the largest of my concerns right now. TR’s going to hound the kid as long as they’re in Alola if the report’s right.” 

She finishes off the muffin. “Not for long. Nanu, Looker, and I are staying together for the foreseeable future. We promised Ash we’d get rid of TR, at least here in Alola.” She lowers her voice. “There are...several details that probably didn’t make it to the report. But trust me when I say Ash needs to be away from TR, at any cost.” 

“Sure. But I don’t have any power over that, you know. We’ve essentially struck TR from the record. The public can never know  _ any  _ of the TR details. So, my hands are tied. I asked my CO what we were gonna do about that, but it’s in Interpol’s hands, apparently.” 

“Even the stuff with the...um, the flash drive?” She murmurs.

He finishes off his own muffin. “Frankly, that’s one of the most alarming details of the whole thing. The record says ‘local law enforcement’— _ you _ —hacked Viren, got all the details yourself.” 

She smiles smugly. “That’s flattering.” 

He rolls his eyes.

She leans her head on his shoulder. “You’ve got your work cut out for you, xīngān.” 

He kisses her forehead. “Sounds like you do, too.” 

“Well, then, we’re just perfect for each other, hm?” Her fingers tease at the collar of his uniform.

He rolls his eyes. “Or we’re both workaholics that have pushed off our wedding for, what, seven months now?” 

She frowns, surprised. “...I didn’t think it was that important to you. Why didn’t you say something? We can go to the courthouse  _ today _ and elope.” 

“Are you kidding? My mom has been looking forward to my wedding since I was in utero. We could elope, but you’d have to face the wrath of your traditional helicopter Pakistani mother-in-law,” he giggles.

“Okay, okay, I can’t make her an enemy. We’ll have a white wedding.” She snorts as an image passes over her. “Nanu can officiate. The whole thing will be over in five minutes ‘cos he’ll get bored.” 

He laughs and shrugs, but continues on her line of thought. “Fine by me. As long as we end up married, I couldn’t care less.” 

She sighs. He sighs. It’s been a long while since they’ve been together like this. It’s only been three weeks for Daveed, sure, but it’s been years for Zhou.

“I missed you.” 

He kisses her forehead again. “ _ I _ can’t believe you got shot and didn’t tell me and let yourself be all alone while you recovered. I’m gonna spoil you so hard, for the next month at least.” 

“You know what you could do as a first step?” 

“Hm?” 

“Another muffin.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again, drop any questions below and i'll be sure to answer them. stay safe, stay healthy, stay happy.


	19. improvisation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tying up a few loose ends here and there

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you aedee and sapph as always you beautiful people
> 
> (diode at the end if you squint)

When Ash first saw Captain Sial—”just Daveed,” he kept insisting—all he could think was  _ Lieutenant Surge _ . He looked a lot like him...kinda? Not really by the skin tone or the height or the musculature; Miss Deputy Zhou’s husband was definitely shorter and skinnier than the Gym Leader and had darker skin, too. Maybe it’s just the uniform, or the hair, or the posture. 

“Ash? You okay there?” 

“Mm-hm! Sorry!” Ash snaps his head to the man. He had lost himself while staring at his perfectly shiny boots. “So you’re a...law...person? Lawyer?” He stumbles on the word for a moment. 

“That’s right.” 

“But you’re in the army?” 

The man, soft-spoken and gentle in demeanor—another difference from Lieutenant Surge—nods. “Yup. I’m in the Judge Advocate General Corps of the Unovan Army, under the Alolan branch. Most of the cases I do are what we call  _ court-martials _ . But in your case, I’m acting as a go-between for Interpol and Unova.” 

Ash can’t help himself—he’s itching to ask. “...If you’re in the army, do you know Lieutenant Surge?” 

The man laughs. “I know of him, but we’ve never served together if that’s what you’re asking.” 

“Oh.” Ash, slightly deflated, sinks down in the large leather chair opposite the Captain’s desk. 

He puts his elbows on the desk. “You must know him, though. You did the Kanto Gym Challenge, right?” 

Ash perks up again. “Yep! He has a  _ really  _ strong Raichu! Right, buddy?” 

“Pika!” Pikachu nods from where he was playing some sort of shadow tag with Jumpluff. Thankfully, the Captain didn’t seem to mind at all when Ash brought Pikachu with him to this fancy office on the northwestern side of Hau’oli. 

He laughs again, charmed by Pikachu like most people are. “That’s cool. I’ve always wanted to go on a Gym challenge of my own.” 

“It’s not too late! I think if you asked Kahuna Hala, he’d let you start here!” Ash offers, ecstatic at the proposition. 

“It’d be very fun, but unfortunately I’ve got a full-time job here.” He gestures over his desk, neat except for the large stack of files on the left-hand corner. “Speaking of which, I have you for the next thirty minutes, then Professor Kukui. Why don’t we go ahead and get started?” 

“O-okay!” Ash straightens up a little bit. Was he goofing off? He maybe was. Captain Sial’s so nice, it kinda felt natural to goof off— 

The man cuts his thought off with another calm smile. “Cool. No pressure or anything. The trial probably won’t happen for another few months, since this is a rather large case, but I wanted to let you know what’s going to happen when we finally get to it.” 

This surprises Ash slightly. In movies, doesn’t the court stuff come right after the crime stuff? “Oh, alright!” 

“So, first of all, I wanted you to know that the news of this case will go public after we’re done this afternoon. The press will likely eat it up—you know how they are,” he murmurs, garnering a small nod of agreement from Ash. “This is going to be a very big deal. Your case will probably be televised.” 

“...TV?” Ash asks, incredulous. He goes on TV relatively frequently now, as Champion. And, PSPN ran his battles regularly after his almost-death. But he can’t envision himself on TV for anything other than pokemon battling. He’d probably have to wear a collared shirt. So would Kukui-hakase. That’s weird.

He nods. “If you decide to take the witness stand. Once again, there’s no pressure here. You can say no, and Professor Kukui can testify instead. It’s up to you.” 

“Um, I kinda thought Kahuna Nanu and Miss Deputy Zhou and Looker didn’t want me talking to the press, or anyone, though?” Ash questions.  _ Giovanni. Aura. Secrets that can’t get out. He can’t, he... _ **_killer._ **

“Right. We’re taking all of this under careful advisement, okay? We want to keep you safe above all things,” He reassures, apparently noticing he struck some sort of bad chord. “I just want to prepare you in case you  _ are _ cleared to appear.” 

Ash relaxes slightly. So he doesn’t  _ have _ to spill anything. “That makes sense, I guess.” 

“Good.” He pulls out a few files from the stack. “So, the case the public hears about will be...different than what actually happened. There are some details that needed to be, um, refined, if you will.” 

Ash narrows his eyes, feeling a bit confused. “...I think you lost me. What details?” 

“In the interest of national and international security, almost all details regarding Team Rocket are struck from the record.” He holds up two files. They’re identical, except one has many black lines all over the neatly-typed report. Redactions. “I got this order straight from Interpol. The public can’t know about Team Rocket, mostly because TR might retaliate in some way if we exposed them, and then we wouldn’t be in a good position to defend you.” 

Ash was still confused. “But if you take Team Rocket out of the case...all the stuff from last week with Viren—what’s gonna happen with that?” 

He shakes his head, solemn. “No one is going to know. We’ve made a cover story where Viren died under house arrest of a heart attack, and all the agents Giovanni brought were actually rounded up by Nanu.” 

Ash falters again. “But—the stuff in the road, with the sh-shooting—Giovanni killed Viren, he didn’t die of a heart attack.” 

“You’re right. But it’s information like _ that _ that can’t make it to the public.” He frowns along with Ash, eyes sympathetic. “I know it’s confusing and doesn’t make much sense, but we all thought it was necessary to keep that a secret. You cannot tell anyone what really happened that night.” 

“I—I didn’t really want to, anyway,” Ash insists.  **_Killer_ ** _. He could have  _ **_killed_ ** _ Giovanni with the aura that night. He  _ **_wanted_ ** _ to, so bad, but— _

He smiles wide. “Okay then. I’m glad to hear you’re on board with this. Let’s look at some more details—” 

Someone knocks on the door urgently. 

The Captain suddenly straightens, fully at attention. “Come in.” 

Ash was expecting some big, tall general or someone to walk through, but it’s only… “Kukui-hakase?” 

“Um, hey, I know I’m early, but can I borrow Ash for a sec?” The Professor asks, mouth smiling but eyes panicked. His aura radiates anxiety. 

The captain shrugs. “Sure, go ahead.” 

Ash cocks his head in silent question, but Kukui just motions for Ash to come out in the hallway with him. Once Ash manages to hobble out with his crutches, Kukui murmurs in his ear, “Lucario got really upset a few minutes ago. Are you okay?” 

Lucario, who was hiding behind Kukui all this time, whimpers gently at the sight of Ash. He’s become almost like a service pokemon, alerting everyone when Ash has his bouts of anxiety.

Ash kinda wishes he wouldn’t do that.

“I’m fine. No problem. Just got a little spooked.” Ash scratches the back of his head, trying to convince a thoroughly unconvinced Kukui.

“I dunno, Ash. I mean, you don’t have to be here. I can handle it and tell you all about it afterward.” Kukui has his  _ Large Concern _ face on now. 

“No, really. I’m okay.” Ash, pulling out the big guns, gives him a lopsided grin.

But Kukui almost doesn’t fall for it. He lands a careful hand on Ash’s head, floofing his bangs up gently while avoiding the still-festering bruise on his temple. “Yeah, kiddo,” he murmurs quietly, eyes all wide and not necessarily believing Ash’s confidence. 

Ash swallows and nods.

Kukui frowns again, taking a little breath in. “Do you want me to come in with you? You’ve only got about five minutes left anyway.” 

“Um, yeah, maybe. That’d be nice,” Ash admits, remembering how tiny and weird he felt in the office. It might be nicer to have a little bit of company. 

It’s Kukui’s turn to grin now. “Well, let’s Tackle this Barrage,” he laughs sheepishly.

Ash has to clamp his hand over his mouth to stifle loud giggles.

* * *

  
  


As Kap leans his face against his desk, he contemplates whether he can quit on his third day of the new promotion.

But, of course, before he can drift off for a very shallow nap, his phone buzzes urgently. Kap snaps awake and slaps his cheek, answering it without looking at the caller ID. “Hello?” 

_ “Kap, I did it.”  _

Ah, it’s only Burnet. Warm relief flows in his veins like honey at the sound of her voice. It was about time she told Kukui and Ash. “You did? How’d it go?” 

_ “It actually went great. They’re thrilled.”  _

“Awesome! I told you, tita!” He forces some enthusiasm in his voice. “How’s your day going? Is work still a bitch?” 

_ “Eh. I told a few people, so I’ve got them kissing my ass. I’m just grateful Lusamine’s even letting me work.”  _ She pauses momentarily.  _ “You sound like shit, though. You just got off shift, right? How was it?”  _

“It was good. The promotion’s great. I’m about to start my PT shift.” Kap slaps his cheek again and stands up, heading to the service elevator and riding to the physiotherapy floor. He had enough time to get a pop-tart and a fifteen-minute nap in his office. Then, second shift, all PT cases. Easy-peasy.

_ “Christ. You shouldn’t be pulling these hours.”  _

“Thanks, wife, but someone’s gotta pay for my bike and my student loans and my rent. And my designer belt collection.” He waves and grins to the secretary as he steps out onto the floor and ducks into his office, immediately slumping onto his desk. “When did this conversation become about me? How are the boys?” 

_ “Surprisingly okay, considering it’s only been seventy-two hours since the...incident.”  _

“How’s Ash’s head? Is it still bothering him?” 

_ “If it is, he isn’t saying anything. It’s more just a nasty bruise now. I’ve been making him ice it, though.”  _

“Good, good...am I seeing him today? I haven’t looked at the roster yet.” He rubs at his eyes. 

_ “No, you’re off the hook. They only just left the lawyer’s. I think Kukui expressed some interest in going to the gym today, though, so he might call you.”  _

“Why? He doesn’t have any fights soon. Tell him to take a fucking day off for once.” 

She laughs.  _ “Only if you do, too. Do I need to come over there and make sure you don’t decide to pick up third shift?”  _

He grins, losing his sleepiness as he gets a jolt of excitement. “I’ll do you one better. Come with me and Olivia. We’re going bowling and we’re gonna get drunk as shit. It’ll be very entertaining.” 

_ “Oh my God, I am so glad you two met,”  _ she giggles.  _ “Ash is staying over at a friend’s place today, so if you don’t mind me crashing your party, I’ll come. Can Kukui be my plus-one? You guys need two sober adults supervising.”  _

“As long as he sucks at bowling, too. I don’t need him to make me look bad,” Kap deadpans, but really he’s glad Kukui can do something fun and take a break. He and Burnet deserve it. 

_ “Don’t worry, he’s somehow worse than I am.”  _

“Excellent. Well, I’ll see you then, darling.” 

_ “See you.”  _

Kap lays his phone down on the desk and lays his cheek down, too, then he drifts into his shallow nap with a tiny grin on his face. 

* * *

  
  


Zhou involuntarily flinches at the sound of the apartment door unlocking. She reaches a hand over her glock on the coffee table without any conscious thought.

“I’m home, babe.” 

Jumpluff, who had become alert at the notice of Zhou’s fear, lowers her head. There’s no threat in Daveed. She floats over and nestles into Zhou’s chest, nuzzling the soft fabric of her off-duty uniform—Daveed’s borrowed Army training t-shirt and gym shorts. Chief Nanu made her take medical leave today, though it hasn’t been very relaxing.

The hand retreats upon feeling Jumpluff’s warmth and safety inside Daveed’s voice. “Hi. How was your day?” 

“Um. Went as well as it could have gone, I’d say,” he says, shrugging gently and unloading his briefcase onto the kitchen table. “Do you mind turning on the news, actually? That can show me how well I did with the press.” 

Zhou flicks the TV off from its cooking show she wasn’t actually watching, changing it to CNN. The headline reads  **_Breaking: Attempted Murder Of Ash Ketchum._ ** She unmutes it.

_ “...Rainbow Happy Corporation has not released any statements at the moment regarding the death of its CEO and the arrest of many of its employees. Judge Advocate General Corps Captian Daveed Sial addressed the press a half-hour ago.”  _

The screen flips, showing her fiance on the press podium outside the base.  _ “‘After a very thorough investigation by local law enforcement in conjunction with the International Police, Viren Bauer was arrested last Monday on the charge of attempted murder. He was found dead in his home that Saturday, and upon his death, several members of his crime ring surrendered to the police. With their information, the forty-one members of Viren’s ring have been found and arrested. Champion Ash Ketchum is resting safely at home. No further questions at this time.’”  _

The anchor comes back on.  _ “The Alolan Pokemon League released a statement shortly afterward, thanking the officers who shut down the first crime ring in Alola since 1993. This story is developing as we receive new information…”  _ It drones on. Daveed comes to sit next to Rachel on the couch, his hand lacing through hers. 

“You did good. They’re not questioning it,” Rachel reassures her pensive fiance. “There wasn’t anything more you could have said.” 

He grimaces and moves to rub her thigh. “Thanks. It just...we’ve both seen a lot in our careers, right? But seeing Ash today, and Kukui right there with him...” 

She finishes for him. “Hurts. It hurts to see how much that kid and his guardian have been through. But we’re doing the best we can to bring them justice. There’s nothing else we can do.” 

“Right.” He sighs and rubs her knuckles. “Let me change your bandages and make you some dinner.” 

“I—” 

He doesn’t let her finish. “No, let me do this. I need to do something right today.” 

“Okay,” she accepts quietly, knowing that feeling well. “The bandages are on my bedside table.” 

He dashes off to get them and comes back in record time, brandishing his supplies and getting to work on her shoulder. He takes off her shirt—she almost tries to make a flirtatious comment, but he clearly isn’t in the mood. He’s a lot more graceful with his fingers as he cleans the incision than she is. The careful, loving intention behind each move distracts her from the dull pain, and he’s taping down new gauze before she realizes it.

“There. Good as new.” He helps her put the shirt back on and fastens her sling. “How was your day off?” 

She leans into his chest. “Alright. I slept, mostly. Looker called to go over some plans for our new center of operations.” 

“You aren’t staying on Ula’Ula to run the Rocket investigation?” 

She shakes her head. “No. One of the documents from that old flash drive said their base is on Poni, so that’s where we’ll go, just to have that extra layer of surveillance.” 

“Are you sure being closer to your enemy is wise?” He raises a brow.

“Looker seems to think so. I’m okay with it.” She grasps his hand again. “We’ll be okay. It’s for Ash.” 

“For Ash,” Daveed parrots thoughtfully, like a confirmation. “Anyway, I won’t try to obstruct you. What would you like for dinner?” 

She shrugs. She’s been cooking all by herself these past weeks. Anything would be good to her.

He thinks for a moment, then brightens. “How does tāngjiǎo sound? I think I could probably do it.” 

She leans back with her hands on her hips, impressed. “My mother would be proud. I’m going to marry a true Chinese man.” 

Daveed leans his head back and laughs. “Ha. But really, you need some serious comfort food to go along with your day off, and I’ve always been the better cook. Dumpling soup is what you need.” 

“He speaks nothing but truth,” Rachel whispers to Jumpluff on her lap, who squeaks in response. 

The couple smiles at each other, feeling a bit domestic.

* * *

“Okay, this is all well and good, but you all are dodging the real question,” Sophocles proclaims. He gazes at his cards, then murmurs, “Call.” 

“What’s up?” Ash questions, next in line. “Call.” 

“Don’t say it, Soph,” Mallow warns. She slides two chips—literal potato chips—out. “Bet.” 

“Raise.” Kiawe puts three chips out on the table for their makeshift poker room. He doesn’t comment on the situation.

“...Fold.” Lillie puts her cards down quietly and eats one of her own chips. 

“Soph, ask your question.” Lana, the dealer, puts down the fifth and final card—ace of diamonds. A low whistle runs over the group. 

(It should be noted that gambling, even with potato chips, is rather illegal in Alola. That’s what makes Texas Hold’em at Mallow’s restaurant after hours that much more fun. Her dad is asleep in the apartment upstairs, and no one’s going to be coming in anytime soon.)

The tables seem to have turned for Sophocles. “Ha. I’m all in. If I win, I ask my question.” Soph pushes his rather large accumulation of chips into the center of the table. 

“Okay! But I’m all in, too!” Ash pushes his chips in. 

(Is it too late for him to admit he doesn’t really know how to play?)

“Well. Fold.” Mallow sets her cards down and leans back in her chair.

Kiawe sighs and sets his cards down. “Me, too.” In reality, he just wanted to see what Sophocles had to say. Kiawe has a feeling Ash has a horrible hand, since he always does, and Soph is about to win.

Lana raises a brow. “Let’s see your cards, boys.” 

Soph sets his hand out first. “Five high straight.” It’s not a very good hand, but it’s probably better than Ash’s.

“...What’s this one called? I forget.” Ash sets his hand down. 

“Holy shit,” Kiawe laughs, ducking his face into his hand. 

Ash had somehow ended up with a royal flush. The room thunders with laughter.

“Well, there you go. Guess you’re outta luck, Soph.” Lana pushes all the chips to Ash, who’s now beaming brighter than a supernova. 

“I wanna hear your question, though!” Ash, chomping on his newly-obtained chips, asserts. 

“No, you do  _ not _ ,” Mallow says firmly and glares her best Mom Friend Stare to Soph. 

Ash’s face falls. “...I thought we agreed not to talk about the...case stuff, ‘cos you know I can’t talk about it—” 

“No, it’s not that.” Soph frowns, thoroughly defeated and kind of embarrassed that Ash would think he would ask about that. “Whatever. I’ll find out eventually.” 

“I’m curious, though. If it’s not about that, then you can ask!” Ash is still clearly on a winner’s high. Or maybe he’s just that damn nice.

“Okay, fine.” Soph crosses his arms over his chest and steals from the chip bag where they got their “funds” originally. “Are you dating Clemont Meyer?” 

The room goes silent. Lillie turns beet-red, Kiawe hides his face in his hands in secondhand embarrassment, Mallow glares, Lana smirks, and Ash has an  _ actual  _ poker face.

Completely straight-faced, Ash leans his cheek on his palm. “Why do you ask?” 

“Because every ten minutes, your phone lights up with a text from him,” Soph calls it like he sees it. “And that time we found you passed out in the shed? He was on the phone with you then. Why would you call someone who  _ isn’t _ your boyfriend when you’re dying—” 

“Soph, you are so rude. Let Ash have some privacy for once,” Mallow scolds. “You don’t have to tell us anything if you don’t want to, Ash.” 

“You don’t have to  _ ask _ him anything. I know everything already.” Lana winks to him. 

Normally, Ash would be a little scared at someone saying something like that. But since Ash doesn’t even know what he feels about Clemont, then there’s no way Lana could know anything. She’s just shutting down the argument for him.

Ash is thankful for Lana’s bluff today.

Lana winks to him and moves on. “And with that! Five-card stud! Ante up.” 

* * *

Kukui’s having a nice evening, honestly, even if Kap and Olivia  _ are  _ both helplessly and hapless-ly drunk. 

“If I get three gutter balls in a row, do I get a prize?” Kap asks rather loudly.

“Here’s your prize.” Olivia leans onto him, pantomiming placing a crown on his head. “King of Sucking At Bowling, from Kahuna Olivia herself. Bowling Sucker. Sucky Bowler,” she goes on with variations on the phrase.

Kap, ever the dramatic, holds his chest and makes actual tears come to his eyes. “Thank you.” 

“C’mon, you two, break it up before you hurt yourselves,” Burnet groans as she sits them down on the seats in their lane. 

“No fair. Why’re you so good at bowling?” Olivia whines. They had stopped playing seriously about three mai-tais ago, but Burnet was still thrashing everyone.

“And why is Kukui worse than me,  _ sober? _ ” Kap laughs, making Olivia laugh, and making Burnet laugh.

“I am a man of many talents,” Kukui defends himself. “Bowling just isn’t one of them.” 

Burnet flops down next to him, leaning into his side and accepting his arm around her shoulder. It’s like they’re all teenagers or something. Kukui takes one of the admittedly-pretty-nasty cheesy fries from their basket and feeds it to her. She grins—fake cheese is apparently acceptable to her new pregnancy palate. He makes a mental note of it.

“Ain’t y’all just sweeter than shit?” Kap teases.

Olivia explains, “They’re husband and wife. They’re legally bound to do stupid cute shit like that.” 

Kap nearly wails, “But  _ I’m  _ Burnet’s husband. We even said so. I was her husband for, like, three weeks.” 

Kukui cocks a brow at Burnet, who says, “Pay him no mind.” 

“No! I was the father of her child!” Kap pronounces.

Burnet growls, “Would you shut up?” 

“But I am!” 

“Where is this all coming from?” Kukui murmurs, confused. 

Olivia looks like she would be confused, but she’s in some sort of haze in which she’s admiring how the fluorescent lights shine off the bowling lanes.

“See, there was this stupid thing where Kap wanted to get back at an ex of his who worked at the OBGYN clinic, so he pretended to be the father of my child.” Burnet fidgets for a moment. “It lasted, like, twenty minutes, and when I went back to the clinic later to pick up my ultrasound pictures, I told them who the real father was.” 

Kap gasps, face flushed and lips spluttering, “You two-faced bitch!” 

“Hey now,” Kukui warns. He knows Kap doesn’t mean it, obviously, but anyone calling his wife a bitch sets him off slightly. “And you don’t have to worry, Burnet.” He holds her closer so she won’t fidget so much.

“I want a kid, but I don’t want a man involved and I don’t wanna be pregnant,” Olivia murmurs. 

Kap frowns like it’s the stupidest thing he’s ever heard. “Adoption is a thing, y’know.” 

“Duh. But, like, I think I’ll just steal Kukui and Burnet’s kid,” Olivia proclaims. 

“Believe me, you will be the greatest unpaid babysitter in the universe.” Burnet and Kukui laugh. Whoo boy, they will  _ definitely _ be taking advantage of her baby fever. 

Olivia doesn’t seem to get it. Her eyes suddenly widen. “What if I made the kid Kahuna?” 

“Like, right there? In the hospital room and everything?” Kap stares in awe.

“Yeah. Yeah, right there. It’ll be fuckin’  _ glorious.  _ I’ll talk it over with Lele...” Olivia continues murmuring to herself unintelligibly. 

Kukui laughs, keeping score. “So far our baby is, number one, not mine; number two, stolen by Olivia, and number three, the next kahuna.” 

Burnet hums sarcastically. “Big future for the blueberry.” 

Kap holds up a finger. “Actually, your fetus is probably more like a strawberry now.” 

“Eh. Same difference. Blueberries are cuter,” Burnet argues. 

“Fine, fine, it’s a blueberry with a 1.5-inch diameter,” Kap settles. “One day it’s gonna be as big as one of those bowling balls at you’ll still call it a blueberry even though its twenty inches long and seven-point-two-five pounds.”

“Nerd,” Olivia snorts. 

“No, you’re just stupid, rock lady,” Kap retorts.

Olivia takes great offense. “ _ I  _ am the Kahuna of Akala! A rock lady with  _ power _ !” 

They go on like that for God-knows-how long, like they’re the married ones. It’s actually hilarious. Meanwhile, Burnet’s cozied up closer to Kukui, watching the two of them bicker like a sitcom.

There’s something nice and warm about all this—exactly what, Kukui can’t put his finger on. 

“Wait, Burnet.” His lips burn with question. “When are we gonna tell people?” 

“I dunno. I haven’t even told my parents yet,” she breaks off into laughter. “We can tell whenever. I’m over the whole secret thing.” 

“I’m excited to tell the kids.” Kukui smiles as he imagines the shock and pleasant surprise on their faces.

It’ll be glorious, living free from secrets. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lots of love to you all. next chapter is our last. <3


	20. normalcy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we move on, but not everything gets fixed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i honestly can't believe we're here
> 
> thank you sapph and aedee. thank you thank you thankyouthankyouthankyou

“Is that a little better?” 

“Actually, yeah—wait, no, push it back a little further.” 

Kukui fidgets with the stupid pregnancy pillow in the dark. It’s huge and it takes up half the bed—his half of the bed—and Burnet’s not even that much more comfortable with it. She’s been having trouble sleeping all through her second trimester as her belly gets bigger and her back and hips get progressively sorer. 

She sighs, seeing his frustration. “That’s good, honey. Don’t worry.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah. Just, y’know, hold me. That’d be nice.” 

Kukui complies; this he can do.

It’s been fifteen weeks and five days since the accident—er, not-accident. Some things are better. Ash is physically almost healed, having ditched his crutches and only wearing his brace when he needs the support. His abdomen isn’t nearly as sore, either, though its patchwork-quilt appearance does occasionally draw a few curious stares when he’s bare-chested on the beach. He’s back to sleeping in the loft, which he thought was a huge milestone. He’s even back to full Champion battling; he’s had a few exhibition matches at Manalo, which even Nanu participated in. He goes to school nearly every day, only skipping for “hanging out” with Captain Sial.

The trial is in two days. No one in their little family is particularly excited about it. But Ash gets to see Zhou’s Jumpluff all the time now, so that’s something.

On the other hand, some things are worse, Burnet’s pregnancy being one of them. She hates being pregnant, and Kukui hates not being able to help her. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the baby or that she’s in too much discomfort; it’s more that she can’t work the same hours she used to. It’s driving her crazy. The only thing that appeases her recently is repeated re-watches of various chick flicks while Kukui massages her feet. They’re just keeping their hopes high for their baby. Only another twenty weeks to go.

Oh, another thing that’s worse. Delia still hasn’t fucking called her son. Not once. It’s been three goddamn months, and she won’t call. The only communication Ash ever gets from Kanto is from Gary Oak (of all people) and, occasionally, his grandfather. Ash isn’t that upset over it— _ she usually doesn’t call unless I call her _ , he’s said—but it still fucks with Kukui’s mind that Delia can’t get over herself enough to check on her son.

Maybe he shouldn’t be so judgemental. Kap, with his usual unsolicited advice, said that this is probably just some fucked-up coping mechanism for her and Ash; if they’ve never talked about death and neither of them cares enough to open a dialogue about it, then they just won’t.

Kukui maybe wouldn’t care so much about it if it weren’t for the fact that Ash can’t go to Kanto in the foreseeable future. Looker, Zhou, and Nanu have been very clear about this. Team Rocket hasn’t even left Alola yet, and if Ash were to go to Kanto, then he’d be going straight into Giovanni’s hands.

Kukui just wishes he had a little more control over everything. He still feels like the world is collapsing around him at every moment while he’s frozen still. His shrink says this is to be expected, that it’ll get better as things get back to normal, but it’s been  _ three months _ and the world is still collapsing. At least he isn’t drinking, he tells himself. At least he’s going to AA and his shrink. At least the nightmares aren’t  _ every _ night. At least his hands don’t shake as hard as they used to. At least he can drive now without barfing. 

Things are better. Ash is better. Burnet’s not lonely. Kukui is fine. The trial’s on Saturday and then it’ll be over. They’re all just going to lay low until then.

“Babe? You okay?” Burnet mumbles sleepily within his arms.

He kisses her curly bedhead. “Fine, honey. Everything’s fine.” 

“Your powers of bullshit never cease to amaze me.” She flips toward him with a groan. “Tell me what you’re thinking about.” 

He rubs her shoulder with his thumb. “I dunno. Just...everything, I guess.” 

Kukui can  _ feel _ her frown in the darkness. “Now, don’t go thinking about everything at one time. What’s the most concerning thing to you right now, if you had to choose?” 

“Making sure everybody’s safe and happy.” 

“That’s...broad. And unrealistic.” 

“Is it  _ wrong _ for me to worry about it, though?” He deadpans.

She backtracks, “No, of course not. It’s just that there’s no simple solution to it.” 

“Very little in life has simple solutions, I’ve found recently.” 

“Since when is my strong, devoted, sexy, wonderful husband so cynical?” 

“Since three months ago.” 

Burnet can’t argue with that. She falls silent, only combing her fingers through his hair.

He groans as he realizes how difficult he’s being. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be such a pain in the ass. None of this is your fault.” 

“I know. Don’t worry.” 

“It’s not  _ fair _ , Burnet, none of it is.” 

Soft hands on his biceps. “I know. It’s almost over, though. Just the trial left, and we can leave this chapter behind us.” 

“What about that Team Rocket, though?” 

“Out of our hands. Zhou, Nanu, and Looker are in charge of it and are the only ones capable of handling it.” 

“So...nothing? Nothing I can do?” 

“No. You’ve done everything you could and even more.” A kiss on his hand. “Being strong for Ash. Waiting for the baby. These are the two things we need to do. Nothing else is important.” 

Kukui knows she’s right, even if she’s oversimplifying. 

But there’s something in the pit of his stomach that says  _ no, there’s more _ . It’s been there for a while. It gnaws at him, chews him out from the inside, fills his throat with acid and his eyes with saline. Kukui likes control. This is not control.

Having Ash ripped out of his arms and held at gun-fucking-point is not control. It is the farthest from control.

Having Ash start spewing Aura Spheres from his fingertips is not control. That’s...outside the realm of possibility entirely.

Kukui wants to close his eyes and pretend that night didn’t happen. It’d be easy—there’s so much cognitive dissonance there. It is very easy to believe nothing from that night ever happened. All reports on it were redacted from the case files. The only physical evidence that remained from the incident was Ash’s bruise, which has long faded to tan again, and Nanu’s cop car, which was apparently hauled off for scrap metal that night with no questions because he’s the Kahuna and no one presumes to ask any questions because it would risk blasphemy. 

But Kukui has questions—questions about Nanu especially.

He and Giovanni knew each other. That was clear. Giovanni had literally called it a  _ favor _ , talked about evidence he planted to incriminate Viren and his syndicate. He shot Viren and said it was to save Ash, but also called it a  _ favor _ to Nanu.

None of this lines up. 

What did Nanu have to hide? Would it put Ash in danger? What did Giovanni owe Nanu? 

Is Nanu even on their side? The good side? 

The line between  _ bad _ and  _ good  _ had thinned so much in Kukui’s head over the past three months, it was almost impossible for him to tell if  _ he’d  _ crossed that fine line.

“...I know it’s hard. I’m not sure what else we can do, Kukui, I mean, it seems like all the loose ends are tied up here, basically.” 

Kukui wants to yell and scream and tear his hair out.  _ You weren’t there. How could you possibly know? How could you? It’s one thing to lose Ash once, but to see it again—and on the same fucking road, for God’s sake—how could you ever know? _

That moment when the gun fired and Kukui was sure Ash had been killed again—it was there every time he closed his eyes. It had started to blur in with the  _ other _ night now. Kukui almost couldn’t distinguish them. 

Blood pooling on the blacktop. Ash’s blood or Viren’s blood? Who could tell at this point? 

And for what? What was the purpose of all this violence? For the League? None of that mattered.

It hurts Kukui to know that all those letters Rainbow Happy had sent trying to buy up the League were warnings for what was to come. If Kukui had caved and sold the League, maybe none of this mess would have happened. Maybe things would be normal.

“I think Viren was criminally insane. Even if you had sold the League, he might have done something crazy.”

Kukui jolts as he realizes Burnet was answering to thoughts he must have spoken aloud. “S-sorry, I was just...I dunno.” 

“You blame yourself.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Why?” 

Kukui doesn’t even have to pause. “Because I can find no other reasonable way to explain what happened. It’s easier for me to accept it’s somehow my fault. Somehow.” 

Burnet doesn’t know how to answer it. Kukui doesn’t know how to answer it. Kukui’s shrink says some bullshit about it, but he  _ wasn’t there _ . 

“Do you think things will ever be normal again?” The words slip out of his mouth before he can think to stop them.

“Normal is not a concept I like to think too hard about because it has such little relevance in our family. Will we be happy again, do you mean? I thought we were, Kukui. Ash sure seems happy. I’m pretty happy. I can’t answer for you, but you appear happy most of the time.”

Every neuron in his body is screaming now. There’s something so wrong about it. He shouldn’t be allowed to feel happy, not when it’s  _ his fault _ .

“It’s just sometimes when we’re laying in bed like this, when your fists clench up and you bite your lip so hard it bleeds or you start hyperventilating or you start crying, all in your sleep. Then I know you’re not happy.” 

It’s so shameful. Why does he have to  _ be _ this way? What had Ash sparked in him that made him this way?

“And I know you go to therapy and AA. I don’t know how much it’s helping you. I thought it was helping—” 

“It helps.” Like clockwork to contradict him, his hands shake slightly. He balls them into fists. 

“That’s good, then.” 

“Yeah, it’s good.” 

It’s that kindof tense silence for a while. A pokemon trills somewhere in the house. Through the window, Kukui can see the flash of heat lightning.

Burnet breaks the silence again. “So, um. Is there really nothing I can do to help?” 

“No, honey. Thank you, though.” 

She clutches his hands in hers and closes her eyes to fall asleep. They pop right back open. “I can’t sleep like this. Beach walk until we get sleepy?” 

“Beach walk” has become code for  _ hey, I’m worried about something, let’s go out and talk about it. _ It was a healthy coping mechanism for Burnet and it helped Kukui, too. Their marriage would probably not be nearly as good without their beach-walk discussions. He hates that she has to get out of bed for it, though, but the atmosphere in their bedroom is just too stifling to continue the conversation. It’s home to nightmares.

Kukui sits up and moves to help her out of bed. “Sure. Let’s do that.” 

* * *

  
  


“...This is our base of operations?” 

Zhou laughs into her hand as Looker continues staring dumbstruck at their HQ—well. It’s more of a beach shack than anything else. Positioned over the edge of a Poni cliff, it looks like a repurposed tiki bar. There are steel beams and what’s undoubtedly bulletproof glass peeking out behind the bamboo and thatch roof, though. Zhou already loves it. It’s the right fusion between  _ Kahuna _ Nanu and  _ Agent  _ 000 _. _

“It’s not your swanky Interpol hideouts in Buenos Aires and Lumiose. Hope you don’t have to jump down too far from your high horse to get down here with us,” Nanu snorts, jangling the keys to their new digs. It takes a moment to fiddle with the deadbolt—Zhou makes a mental note to pick up some WD-40 for it on the way home—then the door swings open.

And if Zhou liked how it looked on the outside, she  _ loves _ how it looks on the inside. It’s a white hat’s dream—huge monitors everywhere, Interpol logos floating around on their screensavers. She’s got access to their net again.  _ Finally _ . Interspersed between the computers are coffee makers and Tapu shrines. Somehow, the aesthetics don’t clash.

Nanu laughs at her; her excitement must be showing. “Woah there, Rachel, try not to have a stroke. This is your room. Let’s go see Looker’s place.”

Nanu leads them through a skinny hallway...wait, this is a  _ compound _ within the cliff wall. “This is where the CIA had an outpost in the 90s before they moved back to mainland Unova. It looks like it was supposed to be a bunker. I’m not exactly sure what the CIA needed this security for, but I asked Hapu if I could take the building and she didn’t care, so now we have it for our own use.”

The walls are solid steel, probably to protect against explosives. Whatever the CIA was scared about, they were definitely protected from it. They follow the skinny hallway all the way down until it suddenly opens into a large space, easily hangar sized. Zhou recognizes the padlocked metal doors on the walls—weapon rooms, just like Interpol’s. 

Nanu swings the doors open. “Looker, Interpol gave us this to use, and I’m leaving at your discretion. Don’t blow anything up.” 

Zhou glances at the various weaponry inside, but that’s not what catches her eye. Hanging on the inner sides of the doors are movie posters—James Bond posters. The largest of them in the line is from  _ You Only Live Twice _ , but instead of Sean Connery’s smirking face, Looker’s face has been taped on. 

She’s genuinely surprised—she and Nanu always joke about Looker wanting to be 007, but she didn’t expect Nanu to actually make some sort of physical joke. “Oh my God,” Zhou laughs. “C’mon, this is perfect, Looker, admit it. You emulate James Bond every chance you get.”

Looker’s face has darkened into a deep blush. “I work for Interpol, often as a spy. It’s natural that I...sort of...emulate him.” 

Nanu and Zhou both give him deadpan looks. Looker is no larger-than-life shoot-em-up hero, but with his cowlick hair, neatly pressed and artfully unbuttoned dress shirts, and the Walther PPK strapped tight at his belt, he definitely  _ is _ going for a Bond look.

“Don’t look at me that way. This is literally my uniform,” Looker explains with a hint of desperation in his voice.

“We'll go with that, Mr. Bond,” Zhou snorts. “What else you got, Chief?”

“Barracks upstairs and my office, but not much. You two get the flashy shit.” He leads them out of the hangar and toward a small room within the wall. “See, it looks like when the CIA dug this place out, they found a shrine, and by some miracle, they didn’t touch it. So, step into my office.”

It’s not an office at all, Zhou finds. The steel is gone and the cliff wall is exposed now, painted with the golds, oranges, reds, pinks, and purples of the Tapu. Moss and ferns peek through the rock face, and Zhou swears she hears the  _ skkrttt-t  _ of a wimpod. It’s a pretty typical shrine, if small, and somehow Nanu looks natural standing in it. He’s Kahuna.

Except for the Glock he’s now displaying prominently on his hip. Everything else about him is...Kahuna. 

“Don’t go looking at me like that, Rachel. I didn’t pick the shrine ‘cos I’m Kahuna or anything. I just wanted to get away from you two.” Nanu frowns at them, but there’s a glint of something in his eyes that says he’s more at home here with the Tapu. 

Looker doesn’t say anything. He shouldn’t be expected to understand any of this Kahuna stuff, honestly, since he’s not native to Alola at all, but his lips twitch in a flash of a smile. 

Nanu scoffs. “Both of you better wipe those stupid looks off your faces. You have work to do. Giovanni hasn’t left Alola. Zhou, tell me he’s still bugged.” 

She stands a little taller. “Yes, sir. His movement patterns indicate his base is ten miles northwest of here, towards the Gauntlet.” 

“How often does he leave Poni?” 

“At least once a week, at most three times, and he only goes to Ula’Ula. As we know.” 

They haven’t ever actually seen Giovanni visit the Ula’Ula station, but Nanu regularly gets notes on the door, in the gutter, even sometimes  _ inside _ . They never say much of anything, but even Giovanni’s grocery list is valuable information to them. The more the three of them can collect on Giovanni, the more they can cash in on later.

There’s not really an  _ offensive _ plan to push Giovanni and his squadron of approximately thirty men and women off the islands. Interpol is banking on Nanu being able to pressure him out. Otherwise, they really have no leverage on TR. They can’t bust into their base guns ablazing like James Bond, unfortunately, so they’re trying to find a diplomatic solution. Interpol has told the three of them that Giovanni will likely move out of Alola once the Viren trial ends—two days. 

In truth, Interpol does not feel like dealing with Team Rocket, especially because they aren’t really doing anything of consequence here on the islands. They’re just...here, probably to provoke Nanu or to posture themselves as a threat. There’s been some drug-running, since there’s a huge power vacuum in the Alolan underground with Viren gone, but no other alarming illegal activity is happening at their base.

It’s just the risk of his proximity to Ash. But that risk alone is unacceptable to the three of them. Looker and Zhou maybe don’t have a good grasp on what quite went down during the shootout with Ash and the...aura, Nanu called it, but that doesn’t mean they don’t understand the seriousness of the situation. Viren had a hit on Ash because he was a money-making celebrity trainer. Giovanni has a hit on Ash in order to bring him into his organization. 

The latter is more dangerous, in fact. There are worse things than death, and being forced into TR’s ranks is one of those things. Unacceptable risk.

“...Deputy?” 

She pauses and snaps her head to Looker. “I, um. Sorry. What was the question?” 

Looker nods. “I was asking about Captain Sial. How does the case look?” 

“Bagged. It’s just a matter of how long Viren’s men’s sentences will be.” She turns around to sit down at one of the computers. “I’m not worried about the outcome of the case. If there’s any question of some of them being innocent, which there shouldn’t be, that doesn’t really matter. They won’t re-form the ring with Viren dead. I’m more worried about the press and the public accepting the cover story.” 

She makes a few clicks— _ ash ketchum murder trial _ goes into the seach bar. There’s already a wikipedia page on it. 

Nanu frowns, gesturing to the articles popping up. None of them mention Giovanni or Team Rocket. “Looks pretty airtight to me.” 

“It is, I think.” Zhou sighs and spins from the computer. “Anyway. It should be fine. Daveed says the hardest thing about the case was jury selection,” she chuckles. 

Nanu chuckles, but it dies quickly. “Who’s presiding?” 

“Lance Kanae.” 

Nanu crosses his arms. “Okay, that’s fine, he and I have worked together before. Who’s defending?” 

Zhou frowns. “Derek Nelson, Viren’s old personal attorney. His only position is to reduce their sentences. A few of the men are going to have their charges dropped down to only petty crime, probably, because most of them didn’t know much about Project Manalo.” 

“But you think all of them will be found guilty?” Looker asks, eyebrow cocked.

“Yes. That damn flash drive Giovanni gave us is plenty of evidence to convict all of Viren’s lackeys, and Ash and Kukui’s testimonies are going to be incredibly compelling. Daveed’s plan is to really capitalize on the traumatic story as media bait.” 

Looker nods. “That’s reasonable. Kukui and Ash don’t have to act to make their story dramatic. And your testimony is going to be compelling, too, Zhou.” 

Zhou nods. She’s not excited to talk about being shot in her own apartment in front of a crowd, but it does tug at the heartstrings. 

“Plus, we’ve got admissions of guilt and plenty of evidence. Rachel is right, the case is bagged.” Nanu groans, “Can’t believe I have to show up to court tomorrow. What a pain in the ass.” 

* * *

  
  


“Do I look okay?” 

Kukui pauses from adjusting his tie and looks at Burnet in the mirror—honestly, the whole time they’ve been getting ready, he’s been sneaking looks at her. “You look beautiful, baby.” 

And she does look beautiful. Her dress is a...wrappy-kinda-thing that Kukui couldn’t name (wrap dress? Is it literally called a wrap dress?), but it’s dark green and brings out her hazel eyes. It’s made of a flowy material, but it doesn’t hide her growing belly much at all. She had been freaking out about finding a professional outfit to wear that could sort-of hide her belly, but the reality of the situation is that  _ she’s _ not testifying,  _ Kukui _ is. 

“And you, my love, look just dashing. I haven’t seen you in a suit since our wedding,” she teases, smiling as she smooths his lapels. It’s not his wedding suit, obviously, but it’s formal enough to wear in court. 

Court. Today. Tingles rush to his fingers as mild panic sets in. 

“W-what if I get emotional? Or do something stupid?” Kukui stammers out without thought.

Burnet frowns slightly. “You’re one of the best public speakers I know, and you and Ash have gone over the testimony with Captain Sial every day for the past month. You’re ready. And I don’t think being emotional is necessarily a bad thing, so long as you don’t pick a fight with a juror.” 

That image actually makes Kukui chuckle. “I’ll pull my punches this time.” 

“Good.” Burnet pops a quick kiss on his jaw. “Go on upstairs and check on Ash, would you? I need to finish doing my makeup, I’ll be up in a second.” 

“On it.” Kukui thumbs her shoulder for an instant, then turns on his heel to head upstairs. 

He’s greeted by a very flustered Ash, trying to lint-roll conspicuous yellow fur off his suit. “Oh, hi, Hakase, I fucked up,” Ash curses with a shaky voice, eyes blown wide. 

Kukui nearly flinches with his uncharacteristic language. “Woah. Some fur is not the end of the universe. May I?” 

Ash hands him the lint roller, which Kukui immediately peels back and gets to work rolling over Ash’s left shoulder. “Pikachu, huh?” 

“Yeah. He doesn’t understand that I can’t get fur on these clothes.” Ash side-eyes the guilty mouse on the couch, who only squeaks an indifferent  _ Pi-ka  _ in response. 

Kukui chuckles as he finishes up, brushing off the navy fabric with the back of his hand. Ash had to rent this suit and he clearly hates it—he’s picking at his neck every ten seconds. 

Kukui tosses the lint roller on the couch and places his hands on Ash’s shoulders. “You look sharp, keiki.” 

“Thanks.” Ash smiles with sly shyness. “I wasn’t sure you were capable of a suit—” 

“Shuddup,” Kukui laughs his first genuine laugh of the day, punching Ash’s shoulder gently. 

“No roughhousing with your suits on, boys,” Burnet drawls as she makes her way up the stairs with a hand on the small of her back. “Are we ready to go? I see Nanu’s car outside.” 

Kukui takes her hand. “Yeah.” 

“Let’s do this,” Ash, ever enthusiastic, proclaims. When Pikachu bounds over, tail wiggling as he prepares to jump, Ash instructs firmly, “Pikachu, no, walk  _ beside _ me, buddy.” 

“Ka,” he lets out a disgruntled rumble.

“And you have to sit with Burnet-hakase while I’m doing my court thing.” 

“Pika!” Pikachu takes great offense.

“...Ketchup with your dinner in exchange?” 

“Kachupi,” Pikachu accepts his bribe without hesitation. Their banter lightens the mood of the room slightly, allowing Kukui to unfreeze from his spot on the floor to open the door.

He’s immediately confronted by a laughing Nanu, husky, short breaths coming through his lungs. “Kukui, in all my years, I would never have believed  _ you _ in a suit.” He turns to Looker besides him. “The kid showed up to my trial fifteen years ago in gym shorts and rubber slippers.”

Kukui rolls his eyes as everyone laughs. “Good ol’ days.” 

“Good ‘ol days, indeed.” Nanu puts his cigarette out on the fender of his new Charger. “Pull out onto the main road, my squad will meet you there for the escort.” 

“Yes, sir,” Kukui finds himself reflexively replying. Before Burnet can offer, he murmurs, “I’m driving.” 

No one puts up a protest. The control of the wheel in his hands will give him small comfort.

The family of three (and a half?) piles into the new Jeep—a blue Jeep, Ash’s favorite color, that didn’t sit nearly as high on its axles. It only takes muscle memory to pull it out of the garage and onto the main road.

He tries not to think too hard. It won’t help anyone. 

* * *

Kap doesn’t usually like to spend Saturday afternoons in bars, but Olivia offered, so Kap couldn’t refuse. There’s something so intoxicating about being around her—whether it’s the confidence exuding off her or the alcohol she’s always offering, Kap isn’t sure, but she’s quickly becoming his best friend.

Best friends with the Kahuna of Akala. So strange. As if this day couldn’t get any weirder. 

“I really am sorry about the other night,” Olivia apologizes to the manager of Luchador’s for the fifth time that hour. “I hope this is enough.” 

“Kahuna, this is incredibly generous of you.” The manager is still transfixed on the huge TV Olivia bought them. “It needed to be replaced anyway.” 

(It especially needed to be replaced when Olivia threw a beer bottle at it and it shattered. Kap holds his tongue.)

“I hate to impose again, but would it be too much to ask if you harbored us for a few hours?” Olivia smiles, turning on the persuasion. “We’re trying to stay out of the way of the press, you understand.” 

“Absolutely, Kahuna, make yourself at home.” The man dashes over to the front door, flipping the sign to  _ Closed, Come Again Soon.  _ “Would you like a drink?” 

“Please,” she accepts the offer with well-hidden desperation. 

He nods and turns to Kap. “And you, sir?” 

“Sure.” He looks at Olivia. “But only  _ one. _ ” 

Olivia nods. “Only one, you heard the man.” 

By the time he brings out their Modelos, Olivia’s set up the TV and turned it immediately onto the news—national news.

_ “...which came to a close only minutes ago. Prosecutor Army Judge Advocate General Corp Captain Daveed Sial found victory; all forty-one of the men in Viren Bauer’s crime ring were found guilty on assorted charges, ranging between petty theft, drug trafficking, money laundering, and conspiracy to murder. The moving testimonies from the victim, Alolan Pokemon Champion Ash Ketchum, the witness, Professor Makoa Kukui, and a representative of the Ula’Ula police department are as follows. Viewer discretion is advised.”  _

The screen flips from the anchor to the courtroom. Ash sits in the witness stand, looking rather small and panicked under the gaze of so many people.

It rips at Kap’s heart a little. 

The baritone of the Army prosecutor booms as he stands in front of Ash.  _ “‘And on that night, where were you going?’”  _

_ “‘I was going to the movie theater.’” _

_ ‘“But you didn’t make it there.’”  _

_ “‘No, sir.’”  _

_ “‘Could you describe the crash for us?’” _

_ “‘Well, I was driving along Highway 12 around nine-thirty that night when, ah, the truck crossed the center line.’” _

Photo evidence is displayed alongside the recording of the case. A huge white truck, totaled, with a face next to it labeled  _ Phillip Wilson.  _ It’s an old mugshot—menacing. 

_ “‘I remember the Jeep flipping and waking up upside down with two pieces of the car door lodged into my abdomen and my leg broken over the dashboard.’”  _

More photos—the totaled Jeep and blood pooling underneath it. 

_ “‘And you were clinically dead for three minutes.’”  _

_ “‘Y-yes, sir.’”  _

Ash goes on to recount details from that night, some of which were rather gruesome, that Kap already knew; but, it didn’t make it any easier to hear. Olivia had stopped sipping at her beer—now she’s guzzling it. 

She only pauses when Kukui appears on the screen. If Ash looked nervous, Kukui looks  _ terrified _ . Then again, Kap could read Kukui pretty well. This is what Kukui looks like when he’s toe-to-toe with an opponent fifty pounds heavier and a foot taller than him. 

_ “‘Professor, the record says you were driving separately. Is this correct?’” _

_ “‘Yes.’”  _

_ “‘Why is that?’”  _

_ “‘I was planning on meeting with my wife and a friend later that night.’”  _

_ “‘And what were you meeting about?’” _

_ “‘My wife was going to reveal her pregnancy then.’”  _

An uneasiness spreads through the courtroom that they can feel through the TV. Cameras flip to Burnet, sitting on the prosecution side of the courtroom with her arms tucked around her belly. She stares forward, not showing any weakness. 

_ “‘Well, ladies and gentlemen, members of the jury, it was a good thing Professor Kukui had other plans that night. Mr. Wilson was not expecting Kukui to drive separately—he was planning on killing both Mr. Ketchum and the Professor in one blow.’”  _ The prosecutor turns from the jury section back to Kukui.  _ “‘Could you describe the crash for us, Professor?’”  _

Kukui takes a moment and swallows. 

“Christ, this hurts to watch,” Kap murmurs, heart breaking a little bit at a time. 

_ “‘I was directly behind Ash. I think I heard the crash before anything else, y’know, the metal screeching. I managed to get my car into the ditch to avoid hitting them.’”  _

_ “‘And what did you find when you exited your car?’”  _

_ “‘Ash was, um, unconscious.’”  _

_ “‘And you pulled him out of the car?’”  _

_ “‘Yes. I called 911, but it became...clear...that Ash was not going to live in time for the ambulance to come. He was scared, and I couldn’t let him die in a flipped-over car.’”  _

_ “‘And he did die.’”  _

_ “‘Yes. He—well, as you said, he was dead for about three minutes.’”  _

_ “‘But a miracle happened. Mr. Wilson’s assassination plans failed for the second time that night.’”  _

_ “‘Yes.’”  _ Kukui doesn’t manage any more than that. Kap recognizes the strained expression on his face—it’s what he does when he has an injury, but while cameras are still on him. Guarded. 

The prosecutor changes topics.  _ “‘And did you have any indication that Mr. Bauer had a hit on you and Mr. Ketchum prior to that night?’”  _

_ “‘Rainbow Happy had reached out to us previously to try and buy the League. I, along with Aether Paradise, always declined.’”  _ Kukui pauses thoughtfully as if he’s trying to remember what he planned to say.  _ “‘I did not know the intentions behind this. He or his company never made any sort of threats.’”  _

The prosecutor turns around again.  _ “‘But as we can now examine, Mr. Bauer and his organization had plans for the seizure of the League for months previous to the attempted murder. I call my next witness.’”  _

The screen flashes again, cutting to a police officer in the stand—Rachel Zhou. Her shoulder had healed nicely, Kap thinks absentmindedly, as she places her hand on the Bible. 

_ “‘Officer Zhou, could you explain how you found out Mr. Bauer’s plans?’”  _

Zhou goes on to recount information about how she hacked into Viren’s computer network and found evidence for “Project Manalo.” But, curiously enough, there’s no mention of the  _ other  _ night, with Ash held at gunpoint.

Why?

_ “‘And this ‘Project Manalo.’ What was its aim?’”  _

_ “‘Bauer was planning on taking the League by force since he couldn’t buy it, starting by killing the people who were leading it.’”  _

The TV flicks back to the anchor.  _ “Three months after the car wreck, the perpetrators behind Champion Ash Ketchum’s attempted assassination have been apprehended.” _

Kap peels his eyes off the TV to look at Olivia. She’s sobbing into her arm, twisting her empty beer bottle in her free hand. “Goddammit,” she winces. "I _hate_ it when Alola isn't a paradise." 

“Um, sir?” Kap gets the attention of the bartender. “I think we might need another beer.” 

* * *

  
  


Daveed stood outside the courthouse for a long while after the Kukui family was escorted out by Nanu and Looker. His associates congratulated him on his victory, the press asked him for comments, various suits shook his hand, but this does  _ not  _ feel like a win.

The case was a fake. Team Rocket was embroiled in everything. He feels like a cheater.

“Congratulations, Captain.” 

“Thank you,” he answers on instinct to the next person in the line. He meets his eyes—dark suit. Tall. Cropped hair. Maybe mid-fifties. Kantonian accent. Thin, almost invisible eyebrows. A calloused hand that squeezes the ever-living daylights out of Daveed’s. 

Daveed stands there dumbstruck for a moment. There’s no way. There’s  _ no way.  _

“I’m glad we had a chance to meet. I suppose you owe me regarding your fiance, hm?” 

The man turns around before Daveed can do or say anything, disappearing in the crowd with all the other suits. 

Rachel was right. They still have a  _ long _ way to go before justice is really served.

* * *

  
  


The sunset is nice tonight.

Ash might have to take a drive. 

“Hey, Kukui-hakase?” 

Kukui, who had basically passed out on the couch with his tie around his neck as soon as they got home (his sleep schedule is so fucked up—both he and Burnet are gonna be up past four, undoubtedly), squints without his glasses. He sits up, careful not to disturb a heavier-sleeping Burnet. “What’s up?” 

“Can I take the Jeep?” 

Kukui shrugs, sleepy and probably not thinking straight. “Um, sure. Where’re you going?” 

Ash relaxes slightly. “The marina. Is that okay? I’m meeting with the rest of the gang.” 

Kukui pauses, then nods. “Yeah, that’s fine. Ask Deputy Zhou if she needs to go with you, though, I don’t want you to run into any paparazzi or something.” 

“Got it.” Ash picks up the keys from their dish on the kitchen counter. “...Professor?” 

He snaps his head up again, starting to nod off. “Hm?” 

“Thank you. Today was weird.” 

He raises an eyebrow. “Don’t thank me, keiki. I’m just glad it’s over.” 

“But still. Thanks. It was hard for me, so I’m sure it was hard for you.” 

He stands up from the couch now, wrapping Ash in a tight side hug. “I love you. Be safe. Text me when you get where you’re going.” 

“Wakatta. Love you.” Ash squeezes back, then steps out onto the porch before Kukui changes his mind. 

Sliding into the Jeep isn’t hard. It’s basically the same as the old red one, honestly. He pulls it out of the garage and coasts to a stop at the entrance to the main road, rolling down his window as he pulls up to Zhou’s cop car.

“Hey, Ash.” She sticks her head out. “Where’re you headed?”

“The marina. I’m meeting up with friends. Can I go alone?” Ash turns on the charm— _ please, for once, normalcy. _

She frowns at him, then rolls her eyes. “Fine, but you already know I’m tracking your phone. Be  _ careful _ ,” she instructs firmly. “And now that I’ve got you here, I have to tell you something.”

“Hm?”

“Giovanni was at court today.”

Ash shrugs. “I know. I saw him.”

Zhou’s eyes flash. “Did he say anything to you?”

“No. He just nodded to me.” Ash shifts uncomfortably in his seat, pumping the brakes. 

She sighs. “Well, okay, I guess. I’m keeping close tabs on both of you, though. If you get close to each other, I’m sending a squad.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She nods. “No speeding. Have fun.” 

Ash grins and starts up again, gravel flying behind him as he cruises down towards town. It’s not a very long or boring drive—he enjoys it. The radio plays loud enough for him to sing without hearing himself, and Lycanroc and Pikachu have got their heads sticking out the window while the orange-purple sky flies by.

He finds his parking spot easily—Kukui has a slip, so he’s got his own designated parking to avoid the throngs of tourists and working fishermen who come through this marina every day. He pushes the gear shift to park and hops out, pokemon trailing behind him as he stuffs his keys and his phone in his pocket. 

Ash spots his five closest Alolan friends at slip 32—he waves. They wave. He smiles. They smile.

He starts heading down, but a voice in the parking lot stops him. “Oi. Jari-boy.”

Ash turns around quickly. “Kojiro?” 

“Hey.” He walks up to him, pushing his sunglasses up and back on his hair. “I just wanted to check on you.”

“I—that’s nice of you. I guess.“ Ash starts to get nervous—what if Giovanni sent him?

“It’s nothing.” Kojiro turns to lean against one of the railings and Ash follows suit. “We got this weird order from Sakaki-sama. We aren’t supposed to meet up with you or try and take your pokemon...indefinitely...because he said it was ‘his job now.’ I’m not sure what that means, but it’s not normal. I wanted to run it by you.”

“Oh,” Ash hums. So  _ that’s  _ why he hasn’t seen them.

“Did...something happen with you and Sakaki-sama?”

Ash scratches the back of his neck. He can tell Kojiro. He’s actually pretty trustworthy. “Yeah.”

He blanches. “Are you...in danger?”

“Maybe.“ He revises it, ”Probably.” 

“Well. Shit.” He frowns deeply. “Look, um, if you need to talk or you need someplace to stay…” he says as he pulls a pen from his back pocket, then begins writing on Ash’s forearm. “...here’s my number.”

Ash stares at him in awe while he caps his pen. “...Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Seriously.” He starts to walk away. “And...I’m sorry. For everything. I just wish we could actually be friends.” 

Ash doesn’t look back, but says, “Who says we can’t be?” 

He gets no response, but he doesn’t need aura to sense the warmth radiating off him. This could be the beginning of something beautiful. 

But for now, he’s obliged to be with his established friends. He continues walking down the ramp to the docks, heading to slip 32. 

They need him, in that weird way that people who are  _ friends _ with people who have trauma need constant reassurance. Ash is kindof used to this. He couldn’t really blame them for being human like that. 

“Hey, guys,” he greets once he’s a few slips away. 

Lana grins. “‘Bout time you got here. We’re a floating casino now.” 

It’s clear to see that they’re not really paying attention to their poker game. They’re all lounging on an oversized towel. Mallow’s head is in Lana’s lap and she’s looking at her phone; Lillie and Sophocles are lying on their backs, staring up at the rapidly darkening sky, their cards cast aside; Kiawe sits back on his hands, eyes trained towards Wela. 

But they all jolt when they see Ash. Assorted greetings assault him— _ they’re  _ nervous.

“Hey, guys, it’s fine,” Ash chuckles. “Let’s just...have a normal night, okay?” 

He’s met with deadpan silence. There is never normal here.

He sits down between them, lowering himself gently so his legs swing over the edge and trying not to wince when it twinges his abs. He’s never  _ quite  _ as healed as he thinks he is. 

“...How’s Clemont today?” Lillie asks meekly. It draws laughter from the whole group, including Ash; she usually isn’t the first to start conversations about that.

“He’s fine,” Ash snorts. 

Lana waves a hand and gives him an expectant look. “Y’all aren’t dating yet?” 

“No.” Ash lets himself loosen, laughing quietly. The atmosphere over the docks lightens with each peal of laughter he lets out. 

Mallow groans. “But you guys are, like, perfect for each other.” 

Ash laughs even harder. “You don’t even know him, Mallow, how can you say that?” 

She raises her hands, correcting herself. “You guys  _ seem  _ perfect for each other. A small, energetic, ambitious, traveled Champion plus a lanky, blonde, slightly-awkward, geeky Gym Leader. They could make a TV show about you guys.” 

“Seriously.” Sophocles nods. “Let’s pitch it to George.” 

They laugh again, that comfortable laugh that sinks gently in the atmosphere as it dies out. 

“So.” Lana sits back on her elbows and pats Mallow’s hair. “What are you gonna do now, Ash?” 

“Hm? Like, about Clemont?” 

She smirks but shakes her head. “No, I meant in general. Like, things are getting back to normal for you. What’re you gonna do, dreams-and-aspirations wise?” 

“Oh.” In all honesty, he hadn’t thought much about it. “I mean, Pokemon Master and befriending every person in the world, right?” That garners a few laughs. “Yeah. I think I’m gonna spend more time at the League. And, I...might go to Kalos at some point. I’d like to be in next year’s Le Monde.” There’s also no Team Rocket in Kalos—if he can’t go home to Kanto yet, he can go there. 

“Reasonable.” Lana smirks some more at him, eyes flashing with tease.

He tries to ignore her. “What about you? What’re your plans for the future?” 

“Dunno. I think my dad and I are gonna go on a long fishing trip, though. Like, a month-long thing. He’s been talking about looking for Relicanth and Manaphy for a long time now, and I think it’d be nice to go with him. I don’t get to spend a lot of time with him otherwise.” Lana looks off to the horizon. Ash is reminded of Kap’s word— _ wanderlust _ . Lana has it, too. 

“Are we, like, going in a circle with this?” Sophocles asks. 

Lana shrugs. “Sure. Go for it.” 

“Uh. I’m going to Hoenn in a few months, with Mo,” he says, uncharacteristically quiet. 

Ash brightens. “No way! You’re going to Mossdeep, huh?” 

“Y-yeah.” He scratches the back of his head. “Let me guess, you know Tate and Liza?” 

“Yup!” Ash grins. “Say hi for me! And you’re gonna do great!” 

Sophocles blushes. “What about you, Mallow?” 

“Honestly...I’m not sure.” She frowns. “I’ll work at the restaurant, I suppose. The new menu’s almost ready, and the tourist rush is just getting started. Dad needs my help.” 

Ash encourages her a little, “Are you working towards a goal?” 

“Um. Make money,” she snorts. “Maybe...I’ll find a girlfriend in the process. Summer fling. We’ll meet at the restaurant after I make her shave ice, then we’ll kiss here at the marina when the sun sets.” 

“Now  _ that’s  _ a plan I can support,” Lana laughs. “You’re hopelessly romantic and it’s wonderful.” 

Mallow tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and shrugs. “Lillie? What about you?” 

She straightens, very serious, then smiles. “I’m working as an intern for Professor Burnet at Aether. I’m trying to take some of the grunt work for her, give her a chance to rest some and save her energy for the really important projects.” 

“Wait, really!? That’s great!” Ash exclaims. “That’s gonna be so much fun! ‘Cos you like all that research and science she does, right?” 

“Mm-hm!” She nods. “She’s going to help me figure out whether I want to be a researcher, too.” 

“That’s so cool!” Ash sighs. Burnet’s stuff is so...smart, Lillie is gonna have a blast. And she’d be a great boss. 

Lillie blushes, enthusiastic now. “And you, Kiawe? What are you reaching towards?” 

“Um. I have...no plans. Really,” Kiawe murmurs. “All of you guys are working towards your careers, but my career...isn’t really  _ real. _ ” 

They look to him questioningly.

“I’m trying to apprentice with Kahuna Olivia, but she’s kindof...all over the place. I haven’t gotten a clear answer. I don’t—I don’t think she thinks as highly of me as I thought she did.” 

“She’s a really busy person, Kiawe, I don’t think it’s personal. She loves you,” Mallow says.

He sighs, shoulders slumping. “...Do you guys think I’m ever gonna be good enough to be Kahuna?” 

Lana tilts her head. “Kiawe, c’mon. There is  _ no question _ .” 

Ash nods. “Yeah. You’re made for it.” 

Kiawe says nothing, just staring at the grains of wood on the dock under them. 

“...What brought this up?” Ash probes. “I thought you were sure of being Kahuna. Just because Olivia’s flaking on you doesn’t mean she doesn’t think you’re qualified.” 

He shrugs. “I’m not sure. I guess...I was thinking about Nanu. He’s this huge police chief and has an identity outside of being Kahuna. The same for Hala and Olivia and even Hapu. And you guys—you guys all have these really awesome dreams and plans. But I feel like my only personality characteristic is  _ wanting to be Kahuna _ . It’s all I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember, and now I just feel...shallow. And unaccomplished.” 

Lillie frowns. “That’s not true, Kiawe.” 

“Yeah, don’t sell yourself short. You’re a really complex guy,” Soph says. “Look, I don’t know anyone else on the islands with the grit to get up at the asscrack of dawn to make moomoo milk deliveries, then tend to the farm, then go to school and make decent grades, then work at the farm more, then train all night and never miss a beat.” 

“I agree. Kiawe, you have serious devotion. And you’re very tradition-oriented,” Mallow supplies. 

Lana adds in, “Not to mention, you’re good with kids. I think that’s probably an essential Kahuna trait...aside from maybe Nanu, but he’s an outlier. But seriously, you’re the only person I know who can get a grip on Harper and Sarah.” 

Ash jumps in, beaming. “And what about your fire dancing? You still do that, right?” 

Kiawe blushes. “Uh. Yeah, actually. I’ve been working with a troupe for a few months now doing luaus for hire while it’s still tourist season. It pays pretty well.” 

“And you enjoy it, right?” 

“Yeah. Yeah, I do, and Olivia thinks it’s cool, too,” Kiawe murmurs. “I dunno why I’m shy about it. Sorry.” 

Ash shakes his head. He’s always confused when his friends downplay their strengths and talents. “Don’t apologize. I think it’s awesome. That’s something totally unique.” 

Lana grins. “Yeah. Olivia has jewelry, Hala has the dojo, Nanu has police, Hapu has radishes. Kiawe has fire dancing, farming, a massive fire turtle, and child-wrangling techniques. I see the clear winner here.” 

Kiawe laughs now, face flushed. “Thanks, guys. I needed that.” 

“Maro?” Marowak ambles over, attracted by the mentions of fire dancing, Ash feels, and also the distress of his trainer. Ash can’t help but smile when Marowak puts his hands on his hips. “Maro, maro.” 

“I think Marowak wants to give us a little performance,” Ash giggles. 

“Ash’s unique characteristic: pokemon whisperer,” Lana murmurs.

( _ If only they knew _ .) 

Kiawe grins at Marowak. “Is that what you want?” 

He nods enthusiastically. “Maromaro!” 

“Go for it, Marowak!” Mallow cheers. 

They all back up slightly when Marowak taps his skull with his bone, lighting a blue-green flame. He starts to spin it, throwing it every once in a while with excited cries. Pride pulses off him in waves. Ash feels himself grin with his infectious pleasure. 

The performance comes to a close with Marowak letting out a small burst of flame upwards that dissipates in a sort-of light show. He then bows, grinning. They all cheer and shower him with attention, which he revels in. 

“Good job, buddy.” Kiawe high-fives him.

“Maro!” He gets excited, forming a little fire ball in his hands as he moves to high-five again. 

Ash gasps. “No, Marowak—!” 

But he’s too late. “Ow, Christ,” Kiawe hisses. He clutches his hand to his chest. 

“Oh my God, are you okay?” Mallow frets. The rest of them fret similarly. 

Kiawe slowly peels his fingers away from his chest. “Yeah, fine, just a little burned. It’s only my thumb.” He flexes it back and forth, wincing with each movement. 

Some part of Ash possesses him to ask, “May I see?” He gets on his knees and scoots over. 

Kiawe raises a brow at him, but passes over his hand.

Ash holds the said thumb in his forefingers—the outer edge is starting to blister. “You’re gonna have a hard time doing deliveries with this.” 

“Yeah, no shit.” Kiawe frowns. “It’s alright, though. Not the first time or the worst time I’ve been burnt.” 

“Doesn’t make it somehow less of an...issue…” 

Ash trails off when he notices the burns on his thumb have significantly reduced in size, almost healed up. His own forefingers tingle. 

Ash just healed his thumb.

How? 

Was that his  _ aura?  _ Was that what Mew was talking about? Ash wasn’t even trying to use his aura. 

“Huh, it feels a lot better. I dunno what you did.” Kiawe smiles at him, head cocked and looking a little confused. “Thanks, I guess.” 

“You’re welcome. I guess I just have that magic touch, huh?” Ash tries to make a joke on the obvious. It garners a few laughs, because  _ how absurd is that _ .

They all look at each other but make no more moves to say anything.  _ Normalcy. Normalcy. Let’s keep the normalcy. _

Before Ash can make any more damage control statements, his pocket buzzes. 

**_kukui-hakase: Hey, not sure if you ate and don’t want to rush you but dinner’s on the table at home if you want_ **

“...Clemont?” Soph suggests. 

Ash chuckles at his persistence. “No. It’s Kukui. Dinner’s ready at home.” 

“You’re going?” Lillie murmurs.

Ash shrugs. “Eh, I’d rather stay here.” 

“Then stay,” Lana scoots over on the beach towel they’re sitting on. 

Ash comes to lay down with all of them now. The sun is slipping under the oscillating water’s horizon, painting the sky in purples and blues and even flashes of green. 

“I...I love you guys,” Ash murmurs. “Thanks. For everything. These last three months have got to have been hard on all of you, so thanks for always having my back.” 

No one has to say anything. Hands pat his shoulders, ankles intertwine with his, and fingers graze at his hands. 

They love him back. It’s not normal, but it’s home.

* * *

  
  


Kap, unfortunately, had to return to real life after the suspended animation of sadness he experienced in Luchador’s that afternoon. He took the second shift in the ICU, then went straight to the gym—he’s lucky the gym is open twenty-four hours a day, because he went in at eleven PM and that’s hardly normal for the average human. Kap would not recommend late-night workouts to his patients. 

But here he is. As he works his deadlifts, he tries to focus in on the rap music blaring through his airpods.

He tries not to think about the court case, and how they never mentioned the shootout nine weeks ago. 

But of course, trying  _ not to think _ about something just makes you think about it more. It bothers him. Why would they leave that out? It’s terrifying and definitely illegal.

Then again, apparently Viren died in the process. So maybe there was no point in bringing it up in court if he’s already dead? Kap doesn’t get how law works.

People are strange like that. So much weird shit happened that night that Kap wasn’t sure was fact or fiction. Clearly, Ash had been held at gunpoint, and clearly, somebody’s blood was all over him—Viren, it turned out. But none of it really added up. The court case didn’t cover that. 

So are they just going to pretend it didn’t happen?

Kap’s legally obligated to do that. Working in the ICU, he’s seen a lot of confidential things, so it’s not the first time he’s had to pretend things didn’t happen. But this one...this one hits a little different. Something about Ash got underneath Kap’s skin. He’d literally step in front of a transfer truck for that kid. 

Kapono Mahelona is a lucky bastard, he’d have to say. Working with Ash was honestly life-changing. Kap liked his job before, sure, but the only exciting part about it was his side hustle—Battle Royal—which lost its zest when Kukui accidentally unmasked himself. Then this kid that Kukui had talked about so much landed right in his hands.

He wasn’t working the ICU the night they brought him in—he was only working PT that week. He’s not sure he’d be able to handle seeing the poor kid absolutely  _ mangled  _ on a stretcher and have to care for him. 

Helping Ash put his pieces back together, physiologically and psychologically, was Kap’s job, but every day he went into work, he  _ wanted  _ to go. He’d look at himself in the mirror as he brushed his teeth and think,  _ I’m gonna go work with Kukui’s kid, the most upbeat little braddah I have ever met who takes my advice seriously and makes leaps and bounds of progress every day. I love my job. _

He misses that. His cases are cool now, too, but nothing could top that week where Ash lived in his humble hospital. At least he gets to see him for PT...every two weeks now. He’s doing really well. Kap is proud to say that he was one of Ash’s primary care providers. 

Honestly, a lot has changed in Kap’s life since those three months ago. He got closer to Burnet, which he never thought would happen due to the secretive nature of Masked Royal. He got to stick it to his ex-girlfriend. He used his promotion bonus to buy a fender eliminator for his motorcycle, which looks  _ dope _ . He’s now fast friends with the fucking  _ Kahuna  _ of all people. And Kukui’s even more of a brother to him now than previous. 

He’d maybe even consider himself to be Ash’s uncle. They’re all one big family, yeah? He was Burnet’s husband for, like, three weeks, after all. 

Kap slams the weights down and wipes his brow. He’s definitely going to be uncle to Burnet and Kukui’s blueberry. That’s non-negotiable. 

* * *

  
  


Ash gets back home around eleven-thirty. Burnet wanted to do the obligatory parental scolding for staying out past his provisional license’s curfew of eleven PM, but she realized she actually didn’t care. Ash came back smiling. That was literally the only thing that mattered to her.

So now they’re sitting on the couch, Ash shoveling in some cold curry that he didn’t bother to microwave after missing dinner. Of course, they’re watching Mamma Mia. It’s Burnet’s  _ ultimate  _ comfort movie, and it’s played in this house at least once a month.

“So I must leave, I have to go-o…” Ash sings along to Meryl Streep quietly, mouth half-filled. He’s memorized all the songs at this point. Even Pikachu on his lap seems to know the rhythm, bobbing his head in time. 

“To Las Vegas or Mon-a-co-o…” Kukui, as much as he says he hates this movie and hates ABBA, will sing along at a very low volume. He’s a saint for putting up with this—he’s even been massaging Burnet’s feet this whole time! Her husband’s a keeper, that’s for sure. He looks to her to finish the lyrics.

Burnet smirks. “To win a fortune in a game, my life will never be the sa-ame…!” 

“Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo…” Ash fills in the instrumental, exploding into giggles when Burnet and Kukui laugh at his impression of a keyboard. 

Cutting up with her little family is probably Burnet’s favorite thing to do. Her body is sore from carrying around a fetus all day and she’s emotionally drained from court, but her little family is still able to goof off. And that’s what makes them great.

“I...think I’m slowly starting to like this movie,” Kukui murmurs in between humming the guitar riffs in “Money, Money, Money.” 

Burnet snuggles closer into his side. “I knew you’d come to your senses eventually.” 

“‘The Winner Takes It All’ sucks, though. I stand by that.”

Ash nods and puts his empty plate down on the coffee table. “Agreed.” 

“A small price to pay for such a cinematic masterpiece,” Burnet affirms. Kukui rolls his eyes and starts massaging her achilles— _ Christ _ , that feels nice.

“...Cin-roar?” Ash’s Incineroar peeks her head into the living room.

Ash beams. “You can watch!” 

She flops down cross-legged, tail swishing as her eyes dart around the TV screen. She might be a Mamma Mia fan, too. 

“Mel?” 

“Lycan?”

“Horuu?” 

Not to be excluded, Ash’s three other pokemon join them now, piling in on their usual spots. Lycanroc sits at the corner of the sectional so he can be laying on Kukui and Ash’s feet at the same time. Melmetal sits next to Incineroar, legs melting out on the carpet. Rowlet flies straight to Burnet’s arms, falling asleep immediately while leaning against her belly like a backrest.

“This is so cozy. Let’s frame this moment,” Burnet sighs. 

“Too bad Rotom isn’t here. He’d happily take pictures,” Kukui hums. Rotom’s been on a long assignment for Aether—he volunteered to head into a wormhole along with one of their standard probes. He’s been gone four months and sends back telemetry all the time, so he’s clearly enjoying himself.

Ash smiles, thinking. “I wonder what Rotom would think if he saw us all right now, after all the stuff that happened.” 

“I think he’d be happy. Well, he might be a little indignant at first for missing so much, but I think he’d be happy,” Kukui explains. “We’ve grown a lot closer than I ever thought we would. I wouldn’t change it for a thing.” 

“Yeah. In a weird way, all of the...weird stuff...is worth it.” Ash picks at his nail, then laughs when the tile breaks at the end of the song. “But really. I...just, arigato gozaimasu.” 

Kukui cocks his head. “What for?”

“For being my family. For sticking with me during the...the hard parts.” Ash smiles—it’s a little watery. “I know it’s hard, ‘cos Mama can’t even do it. So thank you for being my...makua?” 

_ Thank you for being my parents.  _

Now Burnet’s smile has to be a little watery. Kukui’s, too. 

“No. Thank you for being our keiki.” Kukui pulls himself together enough to form a few sentences. “I know I’m a little overbearing at times, and I never do things perfectly, but you’ve always been so gracious and...such a  _ good  _ kid, Ash. You mean the world to us, now more than ever.” 

“What he said.” Burnet pushes herself up on her elbows slightly so she can reach Ash’s hand and squeeze it. “I’m so happy you want to be here as our family grows. And that you put up with my crap, like Mamma Mia,” she has to laugh. 

Ash has sat back now to lean against Kukui’s side, smiling softly. “I’m ready to move forward. I’m ready to move forward with a family at my side.” 

Burnet couldn’t think of any better words to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly, when i prepped this idea, i had no idea it would explode to something 100,000 words long. i'm blown away by the support that you all have given it—thank you so much to every reader, commenter, kudos-giver, bookmarker, and subscriber. thank you so so so much.
> 
> also.
> 
> don't worry, i won't leave them like this. there's a sequel in the works.
> 
> love you all so much.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Always](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24089827) by [railou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/railou/pseuds/railou)




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